18 months DA arrear big update: Good news for central employees

There is relief news for lakhs of central government employees. The Modi government may soon take a decision on 18 months dearness allowance arrear. Dearness allowance is currently 31 percent. Before July this year, it was 17 percent, which was frozen in the year 2020. The government decided to increase it to 28 percent and then to 31 percent. However, the Dearness allowance arrear from January 2020 to June 2021 has not been received.

It is expected that this decision can be taken in the meeting to be held with the Cabinet Secretary. Later this month, there may be a meeting with the cabinet secretary, in which the issue is to be discussed. The Central Government had made it clear in July that there is no plan to give DA Arrears to the central employees. However, with the constant demand and the letter written by the pensioners to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the final decision may be taken in this matter.

Regarding the 18 months arrears of the employees, it is expected that the government is likely to consider the demand of the council. Under the 7th pay commission, the central government has given 31% dearness allowance to the central employees and many big benefits, but the issue of arrears is yet to be sorted out. JCM Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra is also continuously demanding arrears and there is also a demand for one-time settlement of DA arrears pending for 18 months. It is expected that this issue is likely to be discussed with the Cabinet Secretary in December. 

According to the annual report of the Department of Expenditure, there are a total of 48 lakh central employees in the country and about 60 lakh pensioners.

The Indian Pensioners' Forum had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October, saying that the decision to stop DR for pensioners is not right. The money is very important for the livelihood of pensioners and it is not in the interest of pensioners to stop it, the letter read.

Even though this issue has to be raised in the meeting with the cabinet secretary, PM Modi may take a decision on arrears. In the matter, the pensioners had written a letter to him seeking his intervention. If the arrears get the green signal, a huge amount will come into the account of the employees and pensioners. 

According to Shiv Gopal Mishra of the National Council of JCM, the DA arrears of Level-1 employees range from Rs 11,880 to Rs 37,554. Whereas, for Level-13 or Level-14, the DA arrears be Rs 1,44,200 and 2,18,200 respectively.