No enhanced DA for 2.85 lakh Haryana pensioners

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 26

In a jolt to over 2.85 lakh Haryana Government pensioners, the BJP-JJP government has decided not to pay them enhanced dearness allowance (DA), which has been put on hold due to the Covid-induced economic downturn.

Two days after Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar claimed that the Haryana Government would pay DA @28% as against current 17% to the state government employees and pensioners, the Finance Department issued an order today announcing the payment of hiked DA to only over 2.62 lakh government employees.

Govt flip-flop

• July 24: CM Manohar Lal Khattar announces that the payment of increased DA @ 28% will benefit about 2.62 lakh employees and about 2.85 lakh pensioners
• July 26: The Finance Department order says that the enhanced DA will be paid to the government employees only; no mention of pensioners

There is no mention of the payment of the increased DA, normally referred to as dearness relief for the pensioners in the order.

“The Governor of Haryana is pleased to decide that the DA payable to the Haryana Government employees shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 17% to 28% with effect from July 1, 2021,” the order said.

On July 24, the Chief Minister said the payment of the increased DA to the about 2.62 lakh employees and about 2.85 lakh pensioners would put an additional burden of about Rs 210 crore per month on the state exchequer.

The suspension of the payment of the DA installments, moratorium on new government jobs and putting leave travel concession (LTC) on hold were some of the austerity measures announced by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar last year.

Subhash Lamba, president, Sarv Karamchari Sangh, said: “The payment of the enhanced DA to government employees from July 1 and its denial to pensioners is unconstitutional and defies logic. The BJP-JJP government has insulated senior citizens.”