If Punjab govt Has Money, Why Is DA Still Pending for Employees and Pensioners? Randhawa

Chandigarh, July 1, 2026: Former Deputy Chief Minister and Member of Parliament Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has questioned the Punjab Government's decision to launch the scheme providing ₹1,000 per month to women, asking Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to also account for the last four and a half years of "toon-toon" (empty rhetoric). He further questioned that if the government has sufficient funds in its treasury, why has it not released the pending Dearness Allowance (DA) for lakhs of Punjab government employees and pensioners. He demanded that their pending DA should also be released without further delay.
Randhawa said that during the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party had guaranteed ₹1,000 per month to every eligible woman in the state. If the promise was made in 2022, why was its implementation delayed until just before the 2027 Assembly elections? He said that if the commitment was made in 2022, then the government should also pay the arrears due from that period. Punjab's mothers and sisters are not seeking any political favour—they are entitled to what is rightfully theirs.
He said that if the government genuinely wishes to honour women, merely announcing the scheme ahead of elections is not enough. The women to whom this promise was made in 2022 should have received their rightful benefit from that very time. Election promises should not be aimed at securing votes but at fulfilling commitments made to the people in a timely manner.
Randhawa said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must explain why the scheme, which could have been implemented immediately after the government assumed office, was kept pending for four and a half years. The government should also clarify who will be held accountable for this delay.
He further stated that respect is not earned through expensive advertisements, publicity campaigns, or political events, but by sincerely honouring commitments made to the people on time. Punjab's women deserve their full rights, and the government must answer for its unfulfilled promises.