Fact Check: when the outstanding DA-DR will be paid to central employees? Know the truth in the claims related to it

DA Arrear 7th Pay Commission: During the Corona crisis, the central government had postponed the DA payment of the employees. Now that most of the restrictions imposed during the Corona Pandemic have been lifted, many employee organisations have started demanding payment of dues.

Fact Check: when the outstanding DA-DR will be paid to central employees? Know the truth in the claims related to it
DA-DR, image source: istock

In the last few months, it is being claimed in many media reports one after the other that the government can soon give a gift to the employees waiting for the outstanding DA and it can be announced. However, concrete information is not coming out anywhere about when this announcement will be made. Explain that the DA of central employees is pending from January 2020 to June 2021. In some reports, it is being claimed again that by the end of November, the government may announce the payment of 18 months of outstanding DA of the workers under the 7th Pay Commission. 

Let's know what is the reality of the claims related to DA payment going on in the media, Is the government really going to announce the payment of DA balance or these claims mere are speculation?

What is the whole matter?

During the Corona crisis, the central government had postponed the DA payment of employees. Now that most of the restrictions imposed during the Corona pandemic have been lifted, many employee organizations have started demanding payment of dues. Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary of the National Council of 'Staff Side', has written a letter to the Cabinet Secretary and Chairman of the National Council (JCM) on August 18. In this, he has said that the 'arrears' of dearness allowance / dearness relief effective from January 1, 2020, July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021 should be released immediately. Although no decision has been taken in this regard so far.

Central workers are citing Supreme Court's decision for arrears payment

Shiv Gopal Mishra, in his letter to the Cabinet Secretary, has cited a decision of the Supreme Court on February 08, 2021. The Supreme Court had said in its decision that due to the economic crisis, the salary or pension of the employees can be stopped temporarily. However, it will have to be given back to the employees once the situation improves. This is the right of the workers.

They should be paid according to the law. As Shiv Gopal Mishra, the central government is aware that the personnel working under the army, railways, health, rural development, agriculture and other ministries have selflessly supported the government during the Corona period. He has written that in the beginning of the year 2020, the Center had announced with a shock that government employees would not get DA, DR and other allowances. Despite this, the workers worked step by step with the government. 

Employee organisations advised to do one time settlement of DA 'arrears'

Employees' unions had suggested various options to the central government regarding the payment of DA arrears of central employees that were pending for 18 months. These included a one-time payment of arrears as well. Not only this, Staff Side Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra and other members had also told the government regarding release of arrears that if it wants to discuss any other way then the employees' organizations are ready for that too.

The Bharatiya Pensioners' Forum had appealed to Prime Minister Modi to clear the arrears of dearness allowance and dearness relief to central employees and pensioners. 

In a letter written to the PM, the Manch had urged for early disposal of the matter. It was said on behalf of the forum that if the outstanding arrears are paid by the Central Government, then its direct benefit will reach the existing 48 lakh employees and 64 lakh pensioners. However, no major announcement has been made by the government in this regard so far.

Is there really going to be a meeting regarding the payment of outstanding DA?

According to the information currently available in relation to the outstanding DA / DR payment to the employees under the Seventh Pay Commission, no official information has been given by the government in this regard so far. It is also not clear at the moment whether there is going to be a meeting related to taking a decision on this in the month of November or not. No government department or government source has confirmed this.

In this situation, it still remains a big question that when will the government take a decision on the payment of outstanding DA-DR? Because till now the situation in this regard has not been cleared by the government. Most of the claims related to this are being made in the media reports, most of them are based on speculations.