Chandigarh, Feb. 25 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has ruled that resource persons, engaged by the UT administration under the Centre's Samagra Shiksha Project, are entitled to dearness allowance (DA) at par with other contractual workers of the administration.

The HC bench of justice Jagmohan Bansal quashed the July 2022 order of the administration, whereby their salaries were reduced and recovery notices issued. The court then directed the UT to release DA at the rate of 189% with effect from July 1, 2021. The arrears, at the first instance, shall be paid within three months (from February 24), failing which, the UT would be liable to pay interest at the rate of 9% per annum from the expiry of the said period, the court said...