Following in the footsteps of the central government, the Haryana government on Saturday announced to increase the rate of dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners from 17% to 28%.
The fresh increase will be applicable from July 1 which means that employees and pensioners will get 28% DA on their basic salary in this month’s pay packet. It also means that no arrears pertaining to the period of freeze will be paid.
The DA is a financial component added to the basic salary or pension of an employee twice a year to meet the increase in cost of living or inflation.
Quoting a communication of Union finance ministry, the state government in 2020 had decided not to pay the additional DA instalments applicable to the employees from January 1, 2020; July 1, 2020; and January 1, 2021, on account of economic crisis due to pandemic. The state government though continued paying DA at the existing rate of 17%
“The rate of dearness allowance as effective from January 1, 2020; July 1, 2020; and January 1, 2021, has been restored prospectively and subsumed in the cumulative revised rate effective July 1, 2021. No arrears for the period from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 will be paid,’’ said an order.
{{/usCountry}}“The rate of dearness allowance as effective from January 1, 2020; July 1, 2020; and January 1, 2021, has been restored prospectively and subsumed in the cumulative revised rate effective July 1, 2021. No arrears for the period from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 will be paid,’’ said an order.
{{/usCountry}}Chief minister ML Khattar, who holds the finance portfolio, said the revision will benefit about 2.85 lakh government employees and 2.62 lakh pensioners. It will put an additional burden of about ₹210 crore per month on the state exchequer.