Dearness Allowance Update: Everything was going in favor of central employees in the new year. First the approval of the 8th Pay Commission, then the possible figures of DA hike and then the announcement of the historic exemption in income tax. After this, the employees had high hopes on the 18 months DA arrears. But the hopes seem to be dashed. A big update has come on the pending DA arrears of the employees.
The central government has cleared its stand on the 18 months’ pending DA arrears of central employees. The central government has clarified the entire situation on this. For a long time, various employee organizations have been demanding 18 months’ pending DA arrears (Dearness Allowance) from the central government. Now the Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary has given a clear answer to this in the country’s Parliament.
The MP had raised the question in Parliament
On February 3, in the Lok Sabha, MP Anand Bhadoria asked a question about the release of the pending DA arrears (Dearness Allowance). The MP asked whether the 18 months’ pending dearness allowance of employees and pensioners will be released during Covid-19. If it is being released, then give details of it. He also asked the reasons for not releasing it till now.
Minister of State for Finance replied
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that in the year 2020, due to the adverse financial impact due to Covid and the welfare measures taken by the government, there was a fiscal impact. Therefore, Dearness Allowance was not given. It was not possible to give it. No arrears of these allowances will be issued. Let us tell you that during the Corona period, the central government had stopped DA for 18 months, in which the government had saved Rs 34,402 crore.
The reason was to reduce the financial pressure on the government
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that there was economic disruption due to Covid. Due to this, the pending DA arrears (DA update) were stopped. The reason for this was to reduce the pressure on government finances. At the same time, on the question of still paying the pending DA arrears, he has said that it is not possible to pay it.
Employees are constantly raising demands
Various employee organizations including JCM Staff Side are demanding Rs 34,402 crore (DA arrears) from the government. Many such organizations have also submitted a memorandum to the Finance Ministry. The employees’ hopes have been dashed even in the reply to the question in Parliament. Earlier also the government had given the same answer.
Supreme Court’s decision is also being cited
It is being said by the employee organizations that the Supreme Court has ruled that in such cases, the employee has to pay the amount with six percent interest. At the time when the DA arrears were stopped, the government’s situation was not good. The central government had saved crores of rupees by stopping the payment of 11 percent DA of the employees. Now that the situation has improved, the employees are continuously demanding the outstanding amount.
A letter was also written to the Finance Minister
Employees have sent a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in this matter through an email. In this, along with other demands, the pending DA has been demanded. But the government has refused to give it. The demand of central employees is that DA should be released to the employees in one lump sum or in three installments.
