Gandhinagar : Government of Gujarat took very good decision related to its employees and ready to make happiest diwali this time and that is why government’s decision will help all government employees. Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel has said that the state government has decided to give 3% dearness allowance to more than nine lakh officers / employees and pensioners of the state government from 01.08.2018. This expensive allowance is being paid with salary every month from January 2020. From 01.07.2019 to 31.12.2019, the difference in the total allowance of 3 months was to be paid to the state employees and pensioners. Patel said that, this decision has been taken, after consultation with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, so that the officers / employees / pensioners can celebrate Diwali in a better way. It has been decided to pay this difference to the employees / pensioners before the Diwali festival in view of the Diwali festival. This will put a total burden of almost Rs 464 crore on the state govt. and will benefit a total of 5,11,129 state govt employees and 4,50,509 pensioners. Nitin Patel added that More than nine lakh officers / employees-pensioners of the state govt. will be given the benefit of 50% arrears out of the arrears of dearness allowance.