Accounts frozen after govt staff get double salaries

It was ecstasy, chaos and misery for Punjab government employees in a span of just three days.

On Saturday, some employees found they had been paid double salary for October, and thought the Punjab government had given them a Diwali gift.

But their happiness was shortlived as they could not withdraw their hard-earned money for three days.

Their accounts were frozen after the government realised that some employees have been paid double salary following a technical glitch.

As if this was not enough, the government debited the salary of some employees who did not even receive the double payment.

District public relations officer Prabhdeep Singh said he received an SMS on Tuesday evening that his salary has been debited form his account.

“I received a single salary and that too has been debited. With Diwali holiday tomorrow, I don’t know what to do,” he said on Tuesday.

Earlier, it was utter chaos at the offices of the Punjab government in Ludhiana district as a number of employees belonging to different departments couldn’t withdraw their salaries.

To add to this, a number of employees who had not received double salary also found their accounts frozen. More than Rs1bn excess payment was made to government employees across Punjab.

In Ludhiana district alone, it was Rs630mn and the figure was Rs500mn in Amritsar district.

It was on Monday that the employees realised that their accounts have been frozen and started visiting banks as well as the district treasury office.

On Tuesday evening, the administration issued directions to the zonal officers of Co-operative Bank, Union Bank of India and Punjab National Bank to revoke the bank accounts.

But some employees, who had not received the double salary, were shocked after they received an SMS saying that their October salary has been debited from their account.

“The officials are working to resolve the issue and the employees whose salaries have been debited will get the money back soon,” said a senior official in Ludhiana administration, requesting anonymity.

An assistant sub-inspector said he needed money to buy sweets, clothes and gifts for his family but could not withdraw the salary.

“I never received double salary, why am I made to suffer? Also, even those who have received double salary have not committed any mistake that they are being deprived of their money. I am not even able to withdraw the amount that was there before I received the salary,” he said.