2.85 lakh Haryana pensioners to receive hiked dearness relief

Chandigarh, July 27

In an about-turn, the state government today announced that the enhanced dearness relief would be paid to more than 2.85 lakh pensioners.

A day after The Tribune reported that the state government was discriminating against pensioners by denying them enhanced dearness relief, the Finance Department today issued an order reversing its earlier decision.

“The Haryana Governor is pleased to decide that the dearness relief payable to pensioners and family pensioners shall be enhanced from existing 17 per cent to 28 per cent of the basic pay with effect from July 1, 2021,” the order stated.

On July 24, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said his government would pay 28 per cent DA as against 17 per cent to state government employees and pensioners.

The Finance Department, however, had issued an order yesterday, announcing that only government employees would be paid the hiked DA.