The central government has given another Diwali gift to more than 47 lakh central employees. It has announced a 3 percent increase in Dearness Allowance, DA. With this increase, the DA of government employees will increase from 28 percent to 31 percent. That is, if the basic salary of a person is 20000 rupees per month, then he will get a benefit of about 7200 rupees annually.
Harishankar Tiwari, who calculates DA and former President of AG Office Brotherhood, Prayagraj, told Jagran.com that this hike in Dearness Allowance will also benefit 65.26 lakh pensioners. This will put a burden of Rs 9488.74 crore on the exchequer. The increase in this dearness allowance has been implemented from July 1, 2021.
The decision to increase Dearness Allowance was taken in the meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that the Modi government has increased the DA of central employees as a Diwali gift. Now they will be paid according to 31 percent DA.
Let us inform that earlier in July, the government had removed the ban on DA hike of central employees and announced an increase in it. Due to this the rate of DA was increased from 17 percent to 28 percent. Due to the Covid Mahamari, the government had stopped the increase in their dearness allowance. This ban was in place from 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2021. The government has also refused to give Mehngai Bhatta Arrear during this period. However, government employees’ organizations are demanding this.
Shivgopal Mishra of JCM, Staff Side had raised this issue in a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary in June 2021. But in the monsoon session, the Finance Minister had categorically denied the issue of giving arrears in the House. However, government employees’ organizations are still asking the government to pay attention to this issue. They argue that Dearness Allowance is part of the salary and the government cannot stop it in any way under the order of the Supreme Court.
