Punjab government employees get ‘double salary’ on Diwali, asked to return half of it

Punjab government employees were paid double salary for October. (Source: IE)

What if you woke up on a salary day and found out that your account has been credited with two months’ salary instead of one? The joy is probably unimaginable. Well, this is exactly what happened with several government employees of Punjab. Many people in Punjab were ecstatic after they found out that they were paid double salary for the month of October, thinking that it was a gift from the Punjab government.

However, their happiness was short-lived as they were told that the extra amount was paid by mistake and they should not withdraw the additional money paid. District treasury officer A K Maini, in a notice sent to head of all the government offices, said two salaries were paid by mistake and shortly one salary would be taken back.

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Initially, it was believed that the error was limited to employees of Amristar, but it was found that government employees of other parts of Punjab had also received double their salaries. Maini told PTI that it has happened not only in Amritsar but throughout Punjab because of a technical snag in the software of the government’s treasury department.

He confirmed that as much as Rs 40 to 50 crore was paid in excess to the employees in Amritsar district alone.

He said a majority of the government employees were paid double salary for the month of October. Maini said all the government departments, including education, were told not to withdraw the second salary and within a day, one salary would be taken back by the treasury department.