While waiting for DA increase, central employees made this demand, will the government agree?

DA Hike: On one hand, lakhs of central employees are waiting for the DA increase by the government before Diwali. At present the government is giving 50 percent dearness allowance to the employees. Now that dearness allowance has increased to 50 percent, employee unions believe that the panel will recommend linking the basic salary revision with the increase in dearness allowance. A senior official of the Central Government Employees Federation said that the last Seventh Pay Commission had proposed that when the dearness allowance reaches 50 percent, the basic salary should automatically increase.

A senior official of the Employees Federation said that this proposal was given under the Seventh Pay Commission but the government did not accept it. He said that we hope that the same recommendation will be made under the Eighth Pay Commission also. All India Railway Employees Federation chief Shiv Gopal Mishra expressed hope that the Eighth Pay Commission will recommend that the basic pay be increased if DA exceeds 50 per cent. He said, 'The Seventh Pay Commission had given this proposal. Later the Center did not approve it. We will also raise this demand before the Eighth Pay Commission.

Let us tell you that the DA given by the Central Government to its employees was last increased by 4% in March 2024. At that time the increase in DA had increased from 46% to 50% of the basic pay. According to the Seventh Pay Commission report, many allowances including HRA are automatically revised when they reach 50% of the basic pay. The Central Government Employees Federation also confirmed that these allowances, including HRA, were increased accordingly earlier this year.

However, no increase in basic pay has been made as such recommendation was not part of the Seventh Pay Commission report. Mishra, an official forum to resolve disputes between the government and employees, said he has taken up the matter with the government saying that DA has already exceeded 50% of the basic pay.

The Employees' Forum has submitted a memorandum to Union Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan requesting him to expedite the formation of the Eighth Pay Commission. Generally, the Central Government constitutes a Pay Commission once every 10 years to revise the salaries of employees. The Seventh Pay Commission was constituted in February 2014 by the then Manmohan Singh-led government. Its recommendations were implemented from January 2016.