Cabinet approval on DA is likely to
hike this week
The Union Cabinet is expected to make the formal approval for the 6%
Dearness Allowance hike for the Central Government employees this week. As per the calculation DA, from January 2015 will
be 113% i.e. a hike of 6%. How ever the finance ministry will have to
issue the order before the DA with arrears can be disbursed. The order
may again take two to three weeks.DA hike announcement was an April fool prank. Govt. delaying announcement
The office memorandum shown as from the ministry of finance that the much-awaited dearness allowance had been increased by eight percentage points, higher than the expected six percentage point increase was only an April fools day prank. The memorandum as shown as, numbered 1/2/2015-E.11 (B), dated March 30, 2015, and duly signed by an undersecretary in the department of expenditure, said the President was pleased to decide that the dearness allowance payable to central government employees shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 107 per cent to 115 per cent with effect from January 1, 2015.
The department of expenditure issued a clarification saying the memorandum was fake and no such instructions had been issued by the ministry.
"Accordingly, all ministries, departments and central government offices are hereby advised not to take cognisance of these fake instructions being circulated in government offices," the clarification posted on the website of the finance ministry said.
Though the government was quick to spot the mistake, which concerned thousands of government employees, questions remain how such an authentic office memorandum was drafted and issued without necessary checks.