Govt hikes dearness pay for employees, pensioners by 5%

Announcing the decision taken by the union cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters that the combined impact on the exchequer on account of hike in dearness allowance and relief would be of the order of Rs 4,355.35 crore for a full year.

The impact for the current fiscal would be Rs 2903.55 crore, as the increase would be effective for nine months only from July to March.

The five per cent increase in the DA for the employees and dearness relief for pensioners would be over the existing rate of 22 per cent of the basic pay or pension, the minister said.