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What is the Punjab pay scale in 2026? Punjab revised its basic pay scales from 1 July 2026, through Finance Department Notification No.FD.SR-V.2-1/2026 dated 22 July 2026. The province adopted the same BPS-2026 chart as the federal government, with a fresh 7% Ad-hoc Relief Allowance on running basic pay. The one big difference is pension: Punjab raised pensions by only 3.5%, while the federal government raised them by 7%. Here is the full BPS 1-22 chart, what changed, and where Punjab differs from the federal scales.
Punjab has the most government job advertisements of any province, so its pay scale is the one most job seekers actually work under. Our pay scale chart 2026 guide covers the federal chart in detail; this guide is the Punjab version, with the provincial notification and the provincial differences.
Punjab Pay Scale 2026 at a Glance#
| What | Answer |
|---|---|
| Notification | No.FD.SR-V.2-1/2026, dated 22 July 2026 |
| Effective from | 1 July 2026 |
| Pay scales | BPS-2026, same chart as federal |
| Ad-hoc Relief 2026 | 7% on running basic pay |
| Pension increase | 3.5% (federal: 7%) |
| Conveyance | Revised up 50% |
The Full Punjab Pay Scale Chart 2026 (BPS 1-22)#
Punjab adopted the same BPS-2026 chart as the federal government, grade for grade. Every figure below is the minimum (Stage 0), the annual increment, and the maximum of the grade, exactly as notified in the Punjab Finance Department notification. The table is the Annexure-I chart of that notification.
| Grade | Minimum | Increment | Maximum | Stages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPS-1 | Rs 16,280 | Rs 520 | Rs 31,880 | 30 |
| BPS-2 | Rs 16,600 | Rs 590 | Rs 34,300 | 30 |
| BPS-3 | Rs 17,130 | Rs 700 | Rs 38,130 | 30 |
| BPS-4 | Rs 17,650 | Rs 800 | Rs 41,650 | 30 |
| BPS-5 | Rs 18,300 | Rs 910 | Rs 45,600 | 30 |
| BPS-6 | Rs 18,930 | Rs 1,010 | Rs 49,230 | 30 |
| BPS-7 | Rs 19,590 | Rs 1,100 | Rs 52,590 | 30 |
| BPS-8 | Rs 20,290 | Rs 1,210 | Rs 56,590 | 30 |
| BPS-9 | Rs 20,990 | Rs 1,310 | Rs 60,290 | 30 |
| BPS-10 | Rs 21,680 | Rs 1,430 | Rs 64,580 | 30 |
| BPS-11 | Rs 22,410 | Rs 1,580 | Rs 69,810 | 30 |
| BPS-12 | Rs 23,750 | Rs 1,720 | Rs 75,350 | 30 |
| BPS-13 | Rs 25,420 | Rs 1,880 | Rs 81,820 | 30 |
| BPS-14 | Rs 27,060 | Rs 2,090 | Rs 89,760 | 30 |
| BPS-15 | Rs 28,730 | Rs 2,380 | Rs 100,130 | 30 |
| BPS-16 | Rs 33,720 | Rs 2,720 | Rs 115,320 | 30 |
| BPS-17 | Rs 54,140 | Rs 4,110 | Rs 136,340 | 20 |
| BPS-18 | Rs 68,330 | Rs 5,120 | Rs 170,730 | 20 |
| BPS-19 | Rs 105,510 | Rs 5,450 | Rs 214,510 | 20 |
| BPS-20 | Rs 123,090 | Rs 8,040 | Rs 235,650 | 14 |
| BPS-21 | Rs 136,680 | Rs 8,920 | Rs 261,560 | 14 |
| BPS-22 | Rs 146,770 | Rs 10,470 | Rs 293,350 | 14 |
The chart is the same for every Punjab government employee, from a BPS-1 Naib Qasid to a BPS-22 Chief Secretary. Your grade decides your row; your stage decides where you sit between the minimum and the maximum. The increment is added every year on 1 December, after at least six months’ service at a stage. At the maximum, the increment is still allowed beyond the scale as personal pay.
What Changed in 2026#
The old allowances of 2022 (15%) and 2025 (10%) were merged into basic pay and ceased from 1 July 2026. That merger is what created the new, higher basic pay figures in the chart above. They no longer appear as separate lines on a pay slip.
A fresh Ad-hoc Relief Allowance of 7% applies on the running basic pay. At BPS-16 Stage 0, that is Rs 2,360 a month. The allowance is subject to income tax. It is not pensionable.
Ad-hoc Relief Allowances 2023 and 2024 were NOT merged: they stay frozen on the 2022 base. ARA-2023 is 35% of the 2022 minimum for BPS-1 to 16 and 30% for BPS-17 to 22; ARA-2024 is 25% for BPS-1 to 16 and 20% for BPS-17 to 22. A new entrant gets them on a notional basis at the 2022 minimum.
Conveyance allowance rose by 50% from 1 July 2026. BPS-1 to 4 now get Rs 2,678, BPS-5 to 10 get Rs 2,898, BPS-11 to 15 get Rs 4,284, and BPS-16 and above get Rs 7,500. It is fully taxable. The Special Conveyance Allowance for disabled employees rose from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 a month, in addition to the normal conveyance allowance.
Existing employees had to choose. Every civil servant in BS-1 to 22 had to exercise an irrevocable written option within 30 days of the notification: either continue in BPS-2022 or move to BPS-2026. Pay is fixed point-to-point, at the stage corresponding to the one occupied in BPS-2022, capped at the maximum of the new scale.
Where Punjab Differs From the Federal Scales#
Pension is the difference that matters most: Punjab raised pensions by 3.5%, the federal government by 7%. The Punjab increase came through Notification No.FD.SR-III-4-113/2026 dated 22 July 2026, and it applies only to pensioners who were already on the pension rolls on 30 June 2026. Anyone retiring on or after 1 July 2026 does not get it. Our government pension guide explains how the pension itself is worked out.
Punjab announced no new Disparity Reduction Allowance in 2026. The federal government added DRA-2026 at 15% of the basic pay as on 30 June 2022 for existing recipients. That federal allowance does not automatically apply to Punjab employees.
Everything else matches the federal revision. Same pay scale chart, same 7% Ad-hoc Relief Allowance, same conveyance rates, same frozen ARA-2023 and ARA-2024, same 30-day option rule. A Punjab employee and a federal employee on the same grade and stage have the same basic pay: the difference is in pension and in DRA, not in the scale itself.
Worked Example: A Punjab BPS-16 Officer#
A new Punjab BPS-16 officer at Stage 0 grosses Rs 61,923 a month before house rent allowance. Basic pay Rs 33,720, conveyance Rs 7,500, medical Rs 1,500, ARA-2023 Rs 9,825, ARA-2024 Rs 7,018, ARA-2026 Rs 2,360. The arithmetic is identical to the federal figure, because Punjab adopted the same scales and the same allowances.
After deductions, net pay is about Rs 55,800 a month before HRA. GP Fund is 8% of the mean of the scale (Rs 74,520), which is Rs 5,962 a month, and income tax is about Rs 119 a month. House rent allowance is extra, on top of this, and varies by city. The full step-by-step working is in our BPS-16 salary guide.
Key Dates#
The Punjab Budget 2026-27 was presented on 16 June 2026, with an outlay of Rs 5,903 billion. Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman presented it, with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chairing the cabinet meeting that approved it. The budget announced the 7% salary increase and the 3.5% pension increase.
The new scales took effect on 1 July 2026, and the notification followed on 22 July 2026. The 30-day option window ran from the notification date. The next annual increment falls due on 1 December 2026, and it will appear in the December salary slip.
Frequently Asked Questions#
Is the Punjab pay scale the same as the federal pay scale?
Yes, for basic pay. Punjab adopted the same BPS-2026 chart as the federal government through its own notification, No.FD.SR-V.2-1/2026 dated 22 July 2026, effective from 1 July 2026. The same 7% Ad-hoc Relief Allowance and the same conveyance rates apply. The differences are pension (3.5% in Punjab, 7% federal) and DRA (no new DRA in Punjab in 2026).
What is the pension increase for Punjab government employees in 2026?
3.5%, through Notification No.FD.SR-III-4-113/2026 dated 22 July 2026. It applies only to pensioners who were already receiving a pension on 30 June 2026. Anyone retiring on or after 1 July 2026 does not get it.
When does the annual increment fall due in Punjab?
On 1 December every year, after at least six months’ service at a stage. The 2026 increment falls due on 1 December 2026 and appears in the December salary slip. The increment amounts are the ones in the chart above: Rs 520 for BPS-1 up to Rs 10,470 for BPS-22.
What happened to the Ad-hoc Relief Allowances of 2022 and 2025?
They were merged into basic pay and ceased from 1 July 2026. ARA-2022 was 15% and ARA-2025 was 10%; both are now part of the new basic pay figures in the BPS-2026 chart. ARA-2023 and ARA-2024 were not merged: they stay frozen on the 2022 base.
How is my pay fixed in the new Punjab scale?
Point-to-point: you are fixed at the stage in BPS-2026 that corresponds to the stage you occupied in BPS-2022, capped at the maximum of the new scale. Existing employees had to exercise an irrevocable written option within 30 days of the 22 July 2026 notification to either stay in BPS-2022 or move to BPS-2026.
