The Punjab government has announced a 3 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners, offering them a Diwali gift. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann made the announcement on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
 

The increased DA will be reflected in the salaries and pensions for December. The latest decision takes the total DA increase announced by the state government over the past two months to 11 per cent.
 

According to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the DA rate, which stood at 28 per cent in 2022, has now increased to 53 per cent in 2026. He said the latest increase would provide a monthly financial benefit of ₹363 crore to employees, while the cumulative 11 per cent hike would translate into an annual benefit of ₹3,988 crore.
 

The Chief Minister also said that people in Punjab were increasingly satisfied with the state government's welfare schemes. He claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had never stated that the state treasury was empty, unlike previous governments, which frequently cited financial constraints.
 

Mann further stated that the state government had provided employment to 71,777 young people so far.
 

CM Bhagwant Mann Comments on MLAs Joining BJP
 

Reacting to three MLAs joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mann said becoming an MLA was not merely about politics but also about remaining committed to one's political party.
 

He remarked that the legislators who had joined the BJP would eventually understand how much respect leaders received within the party.
 

Referring to former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who had also joined the BJP, Mann said that he was never consulted by the party. He added that Amarinder Singh himself had reportedly said that even his advice on matters concerning Patiala was not sought.
 

CM Targets BJP Over ED and CBI Raids in Punjab
 

Commenting on the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids in Punjab, the Chief Minister alleged that the increased activity of central investigative agencies indicated that elections were approaching.
 

Mann claimed that the BJP tends to intensify ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids as elections draw closer. He alleged that Punjab was now being targeted in a similar manner.