7th Pay Commission: Centre Clears 4% Hike In Dearness Allowance For Government Employees

DA Hike: The central government raised the dearness allowance for its over one crore employees and pensioners by 4%, bringing the total to 42 per cent from 38 per cent.

(Representational Image)

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The central government increased the dearness allowance for its over one crore employees and pensioners by 4 per cent, bringing the total to 42 per cent from 38 per cent. Union Minister Anurag Thakur announced that the government will spend Rs 12,815 crore to cover the increase in dearness allowance or DA.

Govt hikes DA by 4 pc to 42 pc for central govt employees: I&B Minister Anurag Thakur

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 24, 2023

To compensate for rising prices, the government provides DA to its employees and dearness relief to seniors. It is based on the most recent consumer price index for industrial workers or CPI-IW.

According to the government, the DA increase would be implemented retroactively from January 1, 2023.

"... About 47.58 lakh central government employees and 69.76 lakh pensioners will benefit from this. This increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the 7th Central Pay Commission's recommendations," according to a government statement.

The centre last revised DA in September 2022, with retroactive effect from July 1, 2022. It was raised by 4 per cent to 38 per cent at that time as well.

DA is updated at least twice a year.

Govt Extends Rs 200 Subsidy On LPG Cylinder: 

In response to rising petroleum prices in the international market, the government extended the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) subsidy of Rs 200 per LPG cylinder by one year on Friday.

The change will benefit 9.6 million families.

According to I&B Minister Anurag Thakur, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a subsidy of Rs 200 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per year for PMUY beneficiaries.

Govt extends subsidy of Rs 200 per LPG cylinder under Ujjwala Yojana for 1 year; move to benefit 9.6 cr families: I&B Minister Anurag Thakur

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 24, 2023

There were 9.59 crore PMUY beneficiaries as of March 1, 2023.

Furthermore, the minister stated that the total expenditure for the fiscal year 2022-23 will be Rs 6,100 crore, and Rs 7,680 crore for the fiscal year 2023-24.

According to an official release, targeted support for PMUY consumers encourages them to continue using LPG.

"It is critical to ensure sustained LPG adoption and usage among PMUY consumers in order for them to completely switch to cleaner cooking fuel," the report stated.

PMUY consumers' average LPG consumption has risen by 20 per cent, from 3.01 refills in 2019-20 to 3.68 in 2021-22.

The targeted subsidy is available to all PMUY beneficiaries.

The government launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in May 2016 to provide deposit-free LPG connections to adult women from poor households in order to make liquified petroleum gas (LPG), a clean cooking fuel, available to rural and deprived poor households.