Rajya Sabha Q&A : Release of 18 months DA withheld during COVID

Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure

Rajya Sabha
Unstarred Question No. 1685
To be answered on Tuesday, 6th August, 2024
Shraavana 15, 1946 (Saka)

Release of 18 months DA withheld during COVID

1685: Shri Javed Ali Khan
Shri Ram Ji Lal Suman:

Question

Will the Minister of Finance be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is actively considering to release 18 months Dearness Allowance/Relief of Central Government Employees/Pensioners which was withheld during Covid outbreak;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) if not, the reasons for not releasing the same when the economy is third largest in the world;

(d) the details of representations received in this regard during 2024 till date and the action taken thereon, representation-wise?

Answer

Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance.
(Shri Pankaj Chaudhary)

(a) No.

(b) Does not arise.

(c)&(d) The decision to freeze three installments of Dearness Allowance {(DA)/Dearness Relief (DR) to Central Government employees/pensioners due from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 & 01.01.2021 was taken in the context of COVID-19, which caused economic disruption, so as to ease pressure on Government finances. Representations have been received during 2024 from Government employees’ associations including the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (NCJCM). As the adverse financial impact of pandemic in 2020 and the financing of welfare measures taken by Government had a fiscal spill over beyond FY 2020-21, arrears of DA/DR were not considered feasible.