Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 30: National Mazdoor Conference (NMC) president, Subash Shastri today urged upon the Union Finance Minister to release the pending installment of 5% DA due from 1st January 2024 along with 18 months pending Dearness Allowance arrears beside merging of 50% DA with basic pay and pension both central/state Government employees and pensioners in view of increasing inflation.
In a memorandum sent to Union Finance Minister, Shastri said the price index which was 6.95% in July 31 last year now increased to 12.65% in December 31, 2023. The rate of compensation was revised every six months based on average of the consumer price index for previous months and this would be the 17th biannual increase since the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission which was accepted by the Central Government in 2016, he said.
Shastri pointed out that DA is part of salary and routine financial matter and as such there should be no hitch in releasing it. “The Government should release these installments at the earliest so that the employees and pensioners would heave a sigh of relief from the rising prices of essential commodities”, he maintained adding that DA should be exempted from the ambit of Income Tax as it is linked with price index.
He also urged Nirmala Sitharaman to incorporate the freezed arrear amount in the interim budget so that the arrears of employees and pensioners freezed during Covid pandemic 2019 are released. Shastri urged Sitharaman to appoint Chairman and other members of the 8th Pay Commission and take decision in this regard at the earliest and start discussion with representatives of both Central and State Government employees and pensioners, organizations.
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