Chhattisgarh government employees on strike for DA increase

A delegation of the Chhattisgarh Karamchari Adhikari Mahasangh met chief minister Bhupesh Baghel earlier this month to seek higher DA and HRA

RAIPUR: Employees of the Chhattisgarh government on Monday went on an indefinite strike from Monday over the recent 6 percentage point hike in dearness allowance (DA), demanding that the government raise the allowance to 34%, and not 28%.

Chhattisgarh government employees said their DA should have been increased to 34%, not 28% (File Photo/Representative)

Vijay Jha of the Chhattisgarh Karmchari Adhikari Federation (CGKAF) said the 6 percentage point hike in dearness allowance was not enough and should be increased to 34%.

Secondly, Chhattisgarh government employees are getting HRA (house rent allowance) based on the 6th Pay Commission which we demand should be increased on par with that received by central government employees, he added.

The Chhattisgarh government on August 16 announced the increase in dearness allowance (DA) for its 3.8 lakh employees, days after chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s meeting with CGKAF representatives and sought 34% DA and HRA as per the 7th Pay Commission scale. The federation said both these demands have not been fulfilled.

In July, CGKAF led a five-day strike last month to press its demand for a hike in the DA and house rent allowance (HRA).