NMC Urges Release of 18 Months DA Arrears & Establishment of 8th Pay Commission

The President of the National Mazdoor Conference (NMC), Subhash Shastri, has made an earnest plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shastri has requested the timely release of the pending installment of a 4 percent Dearness Allowance (DA), which was due in July of this year. Alongside this, he has also called for the clearance of 18 months' worth of pending Dearness Allowance arrears for Central Government employees, well in advance of the forthcoming Dussehra festival.

Speaking on the matter, Shastri emphasized the pressing need for the Prime Minister to make this announcement and provide relief to employees and pensioners of both the Central and State Governments. He cited the increasing inflation rates and the rising prices of essential commodities as reasons for the urgency of this action.

Shastri highlighted that the price index, which stood at 6.89 percent at the end of December last year, has surged to 12.49 percent by June 30, 2023. In light of this, he urged the Prime Minister to address the matter during the imminent Union Cabinet meeting.

He also noted that the rate of compensation is recalibrated every six months, based on the average consumer price index of the previous months. This marks the 16th biannual adjustment since the approval of the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations, which were endorsed by the Central Government in 2016.

Shastri strongly argued that the escalating prices of essential goods leave no justification for withholding the DA installment and the 18-month arrears. He further called for the expeditious appointment of the Chairman and other members of the 8th Pay Commission, and emphasized the importance of engaging in discussions with representatives from both Central and State government employees and pensioner organizations. According to Shastri, establishing the 8th Pay Commission will bring clarity and put an end to the prevailing uncertainty among employees and pensioners on this issue once and for all.

In addition, Shastri underscored the need for the immediate restoration of the Old Pension Scheme as a confidence-building measure. He pointed out that several states, such as Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, and Sikkim, have already taken this step in favor of employees currently under the National Pension System (NPS).

Concluding his plea, the NMC President urged the government to allocate a special package of Rs 2,000 crore for the regularization of 61,000 casual and seasonal laborers in Jammu and Kashmir. Notable figures present at the event included B.S. Jamwal, Surinder Kumar, Rajan Babu, Ramesh Sharma, Ram Singh, Rakesh Padha, and others.