AICPIN of November 2023 and impact on January 2024 D.A for central employees

The All-India CPI-IW for November, 2023 increased by 0.7 points and stood at 139.1 (one hundred thirty nine point one). On 1-month percentage change, it increased by 0.51 per cent with respect to previous month whereas it remained stationary between corresponding months a year ago.

The DA for Central Government Employees was earlier calculated based on the consumer price index with the base year 2001. The Central Government replaced it with a new consumer price index with the base year 2016 to calculate the DA from September 2020.

Based on the current calculation, expected D.A. from January stands to 49.68% with the release of AICPIN data. One more month's data is awaited, i,e. December 2023 which will be made available in the last day of January 2024.

If the current trend continues, it can be predicted that central D.A. will reach 50% from January 2024 and in addition to 4% increase in Dearness Allowance there will be hefty hike in HRA also.

Punjab and several other states increases DA

 Punjab Hikes DA by 4%

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced a 4 per cent hike in dearness allowance of government employees with effect from the ongoing month. After the hike, the DA will increase to 38 per cent, Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU) President Amrik Singh said. A decision in this regard was taken following a meeting with the representatives of the PSMSU here. During the meeting, Mann discussed various demands of the employees.

“Had a meeting with the representatives of Punjab State Ministerial Service Union today and discussed their issues in detail… Sharing the good news that we are going to give a new year gift to the employees… DA is increased by 4% which will be effective from 1st December 2023,” Mann said in a post on X.

He further said the CM assured that the remaining 8 per cent DA will also be given. The employees had been demanding implementation of the old pension scheme, release of pending 12 per cent DA and regularisation of contractual employees.

DA Hiked By Jammu and Kashmir Govt

The Jammu and Kashmir Government last month hiked the dearness allowance for its employees and said the revised DA rates will come into effect from July 1, 2023.

“In continuation to the Government Order No. 93-F of 2023 dated 04.05.2023, it is hereby ordered that Government employees working in regular pay scale under 7th Pay Commission recommendations shall be paid Dearness Allowance as; Existing Rate of DA per month 42% of Basic Pay to 46% of Revised Rate of DA per month with effect from 01.07.2023”, the notification from the J&K government stated.

The order further reads that the term ‘Basic Pay’ in the revised pay structure means the pay drawn in the prescribed level in the Pay Matrix as per 7th Pay Commission recommendations but does not include any other type of pay like special pay etc.

Arunachal Hikes DA by 4%

Recently, the Arunachal Pradesh government hiked Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) by 4% for state government employees and pensioners. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Pema Khandu on X.

Chandigarh Hikes DA by 4%

Bringing festive cheers to the employees, the Chandigarh UT administration increased the dearness allowance (DA) for government and Chandigarh administration employees by 4% during Diwali. With the latest hike, the DA will be increased from 42% to 46%, which will benefit around 20,000 employees.

Karnataka Hikes DA by 3.75%

In the similar manner, the Karnataka government also announced a 3.75 per cent hike in the Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees. The hike is also included pensioners. The state government said it was revising the dearness allowance from the existing 35 per cent to 38.75 per cent. The Karnataka government also announced that the lecturers on the UGC/AICTE/ICAR scale and the judicial officers will get a hike of four per cent in their DA.

Tamil Nadu Hike DA by 4%

During the Diwali season, the Tamil Nadu government announced DA hike by 4 per cent this time. On Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu government announced a 4% increase in DA (Dearness Allowance) for State government employees, teachers and pensioners with retrospective effect from July 1 this year.

Assam Hikes DA by 4%

The Assam government last week announced hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for the state government employees by 4%, and with that, the total DA for them has been increased to 46%. The latest hike will be effective from from December 1.

Uttar Pradesh Hikes DA by 4%

The Uttar Pradesh government announced a 4% hike in the dearness allowance (DA) for the state government employees and pensioners as a Diwali gift. With this, the DA was increased from 42 to 46%, the chief minister’s office said in a statement.

With inputs from india.com

Bank Bipartite : MOU signed with 17 % increase

IBA and Bank Unions agreed on 12th Bipartite agreement and signed MOU. As per the MOU signed, bank employees will be getting  17% increase in salary.

"The final agreement is expected to be signed within two months, although the cut-off period is 180 days," said Rupam Roy, the General Secretary of All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC)."

"The new pay scales will be constructed after merging Dearness Allowance corresponding to 8088 points (average Index point as applicable for the Quarter of July, August, and September 2021) to the basic pay as of 31.10.2022, and adding thereon a loading of 3 percent, amounting to Rs 1795 crore," the MOU added.

On additional loading of 3 percent after the merger of DA, Roy said that it would lead to improvement in pension for all pensioners from 1986 including retirees under the proposed 12th bipartite settlement.

It is also informed that IBA agreed on 5 days' week and the proposal will be sent for Govt. nod.

"No plan to form 8th pay commission but report on NPS soon " - Finance Secretary

 The government has no plans to set up the eighth Pay Commission for some 5.4 million central government employees and pensioners ahead of the national election next year, Finance Secretary TV Somanathan has said. 

"There is nothing in the offing regarding setting up the 8th Pay Commission. It's not due at present," Mr Somanathan said on Thursday.

In the past, in the run-up to elections, governments have used the establishing or implementation of the Pay Commission as an effective tool to win over central government employees, armed forces personnel and family pensioners. The 7th Pay Commission was set up by the Congress-led UPA government in September 2013, months before state and general elections.

The BJP, however, has steered clear of such a move, instead focusing on a review of a new pension scheme that has become a point of contention for new state and central government employees.

Under the current scheme, employees contribute 10 per cent of their basic salary, while the government pays 14%. It has become politically contentious, with several opposition-ruled states switching to the old pension scheme that guarantees pensioners 50 per cent of their last drawn salary monthly, without any employee contribution.

The government set up a committee led by the Finance Secretary to review the system.

"We have completed consultations with all concerned and our report should be submitted soon," Mr Somanathan said.

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The government may bring about changes to ensure employees get at least 40 to 45 per cent of their last salary.

Source : NDTV

Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (2016=100) - October, 2023

 The All-India CPI-IW for October,2023 increased by 0.9 points and stood at 138.4 (one hundred thirty eight point four). On l-month percentage change, it increased by 0.65 per cent with respect to previous month compared to increase of 0.91 per cent recorded between corresponding months a year ago.