Demand to release 3 DR installments at SCOVA meeting turned down

According to two people familiar with the situation, the finance ministry turned down a request from pensioners to release three installments of dearness relief (DR) held back during the peak days of the Covid-19 pandemic as part of the government's expenditure control measures to fund urgent relief work.

On the condition of anonymity, they stated that the total sum of DR (for pensioners) and dearness allowance (DA) meant for central government employees was anticipated to be over 34,000 crore. DA and DR are paid to compensate for rising living costs and to safeguard basic pay or pensions from erosion due to inflation.

"A representative of the Department of Expenditure (DoE) specified that the amount of DAs and DRs that had been frozen would not be restored at the 32nd meeting of the standing committee of voluntary agencies for review and rationalization of pension rules," one of the two people said. The Department of Economic Affairs is a division of the Union Finance Ministry. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister for Pensioners' Welfare, presided over the meeting, which took place on Monday.

"One of the issues on the agenda was debating the payment of the dearness allowance and relief, and the petitioners requested that the sum that was frozen during the Covid-19 pandemic be restored," this person stated.

Emails made to the ministries of finance and the Department of Education received no response.

The DA and DR allowances have experienced three hikes since the freeze was lifted on July 21, practically doubling them.

Personnel, public grievances, and pensions official said, "The Department of Pension looks after the welfare of Pensioners and addresses their issues at multiple levels in a timely manner." "Disbursement of DA and DR does not fall under the ministry's purview."