The Jharkhand government has raised the dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees from 46 per cent to 50 per cent of their basic salary. Effective from January 1 of this year, the decision was ratified during a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Champai Soren.
Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel confirmed the same, stating, “Dearness allowance and dearness relief have been increased by four per cent to 50 per cent.” This adjustment is set to benefit approximately 1.90 lakh employees and pensioners across the state. Notably, if a pensioner has passed away, the dearness relief will be extended to their family members.
Among the 30 proposals approved during the cabinet meeting, the elevation of DA stands out. The raise will entail arrears for employees for the past three months. Additionally, the government has sanctioned the recruitment of Panchayat Secretariat volunteers on a contractual basis for assistance desks at the village level, with a monthly payment of Rs 2,500.
Furthermore, the cabinet has greenlit the estimation of house rent allowances for government employees and the allocation of funds for the construction of Jharkhand Bhawan in New Delhi. The state government also plans to include 11 pilgrimage sites within Jharkhand and 30 sites across the country under a scheme to facilitate pilgrimages for individuals belonging to the below poverty line (BPL) category.
The Union Cabinet recently approved a 4 per cent hike in dearness allowance for central government employees, elevating it to 50 per cent of the basic pay, effective from January 1, 2024. This move will benefit over one crore central government employees and pensioners. Additionally, an increase in house rent allowance (HRA) has also been announced for these employees.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal commented on the recent cabinet decisions, mentioning that the DA hike alone will cost the exchequer Rs 12,868 crore. Moreover, the government has augmented dearness relief by 4 per cent. Both DA and DR are typically adjusted twice a year, effective from January and July respectively.
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