Cabinet approves 2% DA hike for Central govt staff, pensioners

Cabinet approves 2% DA hike for Central govt staff, pensioners (पेंशन पानेवाला व्यक्ति)

NEW DELHI, MARCH 15:  The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an additional 2 per cent dearness allowance (DA) for government employees from January 2017. “The Cabinet has approved an  additional instalment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners from January 1, 2017,” an official statement said. This increase has been instituted to compensate(मुआवजा देना) for the price rise, it said, adding that the hike would be above the existing rate of 2 per cent of basic pay/pension. The hike is in line with the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission and will benefit 48.85 lakh Central government employees and 55.51 lakh pensioners. 

The Cabinet also approved special assistance for Andhra Pradesh in funding of externally aided projects and funding of irrigation(सिंचाई) component of the Polavaram project. It also approved special assistance to the Andhra Pradesh government to make up for the additional Central share that the State might have received during 2015-16 to 2019-20. The assistance will be provided by way of repayment of loan and interest for the externally aided projects signed and disbursed during 2015-16 to 2019-20.

IIIT Bill nod

The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (public-private-partnership) Bill, 2017 was also approved, under which 15 such institutes will be established in public-private partnership.

These institutions would be granted statutory(वैधानिक) status and declared as institutes of national importance. The Cabinet also gave its nod for setting up 50 new Kendriya Vidyalayas in the country.