Even though there has been no official confirmation of the 18-month-old Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears' payment, media attention to the matter does not appear to be fading.
According to recent reports, the date for the Cabinet meeting to discuss the 18-month DA arrears issue is now confirmed.
The issue of the payment of 18 months' worth of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears has received a lot of public attention since the Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief hike in September of this year. The topic of paying DA arrears that stretch 18 months from January 2020 to June 2021 has long been on the table for discussion and consideration by the government.
According to media sources, the DA arrears of Level-3 employees range from Rs 11,880 to Rs 37,554. Employee arrears for Level-13 or Level-14 can range from Rs 1,44,200 to Rs 2,15,900. These figures could, however, also change based on future discussions with the government, according to previous reports.
Central Govt hikes DA by 4 percent to 38 percent:
According to the percentage increase in the 12 monthly average of the All-India Consumer Price Index for the period ending June 2022, the Union Cabinet had approved the release of an additional installment of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief @4 percent to Central Government employees and pensioners due from July 1, 2022.
Starting on July 1, 2022, Central Government employees and pensioners would each be eligible for increased amounts of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief.
According to estimates, the additional financial impact of this increase in Dearness Allowance for Central Government Employees will total Rs. 6,591.36 crore each year and Rs. 4,394.24 crores in the fiscal year 2022–2023 (i.e., for a period of 8 months from July 2022 to February 2023).
The combined burden of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief on the exchequer would be in the range of Rs.12,852.56 crore per annum, and Rs.8,568.36 crore in the fiscal year 2022–2023 (i.e., for a period of 8 months from July 2022 to February 2023).
