Central employees' 28 percent allowance has begun to arrive in their accounts, but they are still disappointed on one front. Their expectations in regards to the employees' 18-month arrears were not met. When the government announced the dearness allowance, it was said that they would only receive the enhanced dearness allowance, but the arrears were denied.
However, news of 18-month arrears has reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will now make a decision on the matter. The hopes of central staff regarding arrears have been reawakened as a result of this. If Prime Minister Modi approves the 18-month arrears, a large sum will be deposited in the accounts of roughly 1 crore central employees and pensioners. Also Read: Post Office Scheme: Get Rs 3,300 pension every year by just depositing Rs 50,000
The dearness allowance for central government employees has now been doubled to 28%. This affects more than 48 lakh central government employees and more than 65 lakh retirees.
The Indian Pensioners' Forum (BMS) has contacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a letter requesting the payment of DA and DR arrears. BMS has requested that Prime Minister Modi intervenes in this case and further asked to direct the Finance Ministry to discharge the DA/DR arrears withheld between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 as soon as possible. Pensioners complain that since the DA/DR was suspended, retail inflation has risen, with prices of gasoline, diesel, edible oil, and pulses reaching new highs. Also Read: LIC Jeevan Labh Policy: Get Rs 17 lakh by investing Rs 233 every month. Details here
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Finance Ministry postponed the DA hike from May 2020 to June 30th, 2021. It will be reintroduced on July 1, 2021. Three installments of Dearness Allowance have been released since then. A total of 11% DA has been given for the months of January 2020, July 2020, and January 2021. For these 18 months, however, no dearness allowance arrears were paid. During the monsoon session, the Minister of State for Finance explained in a written declaration in the Rajya Sabha that no decision on arrears had been made.
Employees and retirees receive DA/DR as a kind of compensation for rising living costs. During the last 18 months, the price has risen at a breakneck pace. Withholding money for this period is not in the best interests of employees and retirees in this situation. The majority of the pensioners are elderly, according to the letter. Medicines are expensive. Furthermore, most pensioners' income is so low as a result of the Covid-19 situation that they can only feed their stomachs.
According to BMS, the country is without a doubt experiencing a financial crisis. The majority of retirees have made a one-day contribution to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Emergency Relief Fund (PM CARES). If they want assistance, the government should pay 'DA/DR'.
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