<p>In a New Year gift for over nine lakh state government employees and pensioners, the Gujarat government on Wednesday hiked the dearness allowance (DA) by five percent.</p>.<p>With this, the DA would be 17 per cent, on par with Central government employees, said Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel in Gandhinagar.</p>.<p>The hike will come into effect retrospectively from July 1, 2019, Patel said.</p>.<p>It will benefit 5.11 lakh employees and 4.5 lakh, pensioners.</p>.<p>"This month's salary will be paid with new DA, arrears of previous months would be paid in a phased manner," the deputy CM said.</p>.<p>The hike would put an additional burden of Rs 1,821 crore on the state exchequer every year, he said. </p>
<p>In a New Year gift for over nine lakh state government employees and pensioners, the Gujarat government on Wednesday hiked the dearness allowance (DA) by five percent.</p>.<p>With this, the DA would be 17 per cent, on par with Central government employees, said Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel in Gandhinagar.</p>.<p>The hike will come into effect retrospectively from July 1, 2019, Patel said.</p>.<p>It will benefit 5.11 lakh employees and 4.5 lakh, pensioners.</p>.<p>"This month's salary will be paid with new DA, arrears of previous months would be paid in a phased manner," the deputy CM said.</p>.<p>The hike would put an additional burden of Rs 1,821 crore on the state exchequer every year, he said. </p>