25% DA: There’s big news for state government employees and pensioners. Following the Supreme Court’s directive on the long-awaited Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears, the state government may pay 25% of the outstanding amount this month. A notification regarding this is expected to be issued soon.
Key Points
- Court’s Directive: In an interim order on May 16, the Supreme Court of India directed the state government to pay 25% of the pending DA to its employees within this month. According to this order, the payment must be completed by June 27.
- Amount of Arrears: The total outstanding DA for state government employees from April 1, 2008, to December 31, 2019, amounts to approximately ₹41,770 crore. As per the court’s order, 25% of this, which is about ₹10,000 crore, must be paid this month.
- State Government’s Action: The state government has started planning how to arrange this substantial amount. The Finance Department has already begun taking necessary steps. Although the state government has filed a ‘modification petition’ in the Supreme Court, a hearing is unlikely before July due to the summer vacation. Therefore, the state must currently adhere to the High Court’s directive.
Next Steps
The next hearing for this case in the Supreme Court is scheduled for August 4. The state government hopes to get some relief once its modification petition is heard. For now, however, the state must follow the High Court’s order and clear a portion of the employees’ pending DA.
This development comes as a major relief for state government employees and pensioners. After a prolonged legal battle, they are finally set to receive a part of their dues. It now remains to be seen how the state government will manage this large sum and what steps it will take to clear the remaining arrears.
