DMRC slashes employees perks, allowances by 50% due to COVID-19 financial loss

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New Delhi: Facing "adverse financial condition" due to non-operation of metro services amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Delhi Metro authorities have decided to reduce perks and allowances of its employees by 50 per cent, according to an internal order issued by it on Tuesday (August 18, 2020).

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has suffered a loss of nearly Rs 1,300 crore since the closure of services on March 22 due to the COVID-19 situation, sources said.

According to an internal order issued to employees by the DMRC, the step has been taken "in view of the extreme adverse financial condition due to non-operation of metro services".

"It has been decided, that the perks and allowances shall be reduced by 50 per cent with effect from the month of August 2020, till further orders," read the official statement. 

"Accordingly, starting with the salary for the month of August 2020, perks and allowances shall now be payable at 15.75 per cent of the basic pay," it stated.

"Also, all sanctions of fresh advances, house building advance, multipurpose advance, laptop advance, festival advance and others are to be "kept on hold till further orders," it said.

"However, advances already sanctioned, shall, continue to be disbursed, as and when a demand is received. Advances sought for medical treatment, TA (travel allowance) and DA (dearness allowance) and Composite Transfer Grant (CTG), will continue to be granted to facilitate the employees," the order added.

"The order had been issued with the approval of competent authority," it said.

The DMRC reportedly has about 14,500 employees.