Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday announced that the state government will provide an interest-free festival advance of Rs 10,000 to its Class-IV (Group-D) employees to help them celebrate the upcoming Diwali festival.
In a press communique, Cheema said the government has earmarked Rs 20 crore for the initiative in the 2026-27 financial year. The scheme will benefit approximately 34,604 Group-D employees across the state.
The Finance Minister said that if all eligible employees avail themselves of the advance, the total expenditure could reach around Rs 34.60 crore.
To ensure that employees receive the funds before Diwali, scheduled for November 8, 2026, they will be allowed to withdraw the advance from the treasury until November 6, 2026.
According to Cheema, the amount will be recovered in five equal monthly instalments, with deductions beginning from employees' December 2026 salaries.
The Finance Minister said the initiative is part of the state government's broader efforts to support the welfare of its employees. He reiterated that the government remains committed to providing financial assistance to its workforce and ensuring that Group-D employees can celebrate the festival with their families without the burden of interest payments.
