JOIN USThe government on Thursday approved the proposal to hike dearness allowance (DA) of Central government employees to 80 per cent from the current 72 per cent.
The proposal is expected to benefit around 50 lakh employees and 30 lakh pensioners of the Central government, an official statement said.
The increase in DA is effective from January 1, 2013, it said, adding the decision to
raise the DA will impose an additional annual burden of Rs 8,629.20 crore on the exchequer.
Taking into account the additional outgo for the January- March period, the total burden during the current financial year would be Rs 10,067 crore.
The government had hiked DA to 72 per cent in September last year which had come into effect from July 1, 2012.
The government also approved the proposal of the Railways for permitting use of its land for metro rail crossings.
The Indian Railways will also allow opening of Kendriya Vidyalayas on its land in order to provide adequate educational facilities to children of railway staff and officials in remote areas, and where educational institutions are not adequate, an official release said after the Cabinet meeting.
Railways can also exchange land with central or state governments or local bodies for setting up public utilities, the statement said.