7th Pay Commission: BIG BLOW to pensioners, govt says THIS on payment of 18-month DA Arrear

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply said that the decision to freeze three instalments of DA/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 the Government finances.

New Delhi: 7th Pay Commission DR arrear latest update --In what would come as a big blow for the Central Government Employees who have been breathlessly waiting for update on payment of 18 months DA Arrears, the government has responded regarding the same in the Rajya Sabha. In its response to the Rajya Sabha member Naranbhai Rathwa of the Congress, the Finance Ministry shared its views on considering the release of 18 months' arrears to pensioners.

The Ministry of Finance was asked whether Government has received several representations regarding the release of arrears of Dearness Relief to Central Government pensioners for 18 months i.e. from January 2020 to June 2021.

Responding affirmatively, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply said, "Several Representations regarding the release of arrears of 18 months of DNDR payable to Central Government employees/pensioners have been received from. various Central Government employees/pensioners' associations such as National Council (JCM), National Federation of Indian Railway Men (NFIR), All India Railway Men's Federation (AIRF), All India Retired Railway Men's Federation (AIRRF), JCOs/OR Veterans Association (JAVA), Bhartiya Railway Karamchari Union (BRKU), Bhartiya Pension Manch, National Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee and Veteran Association etc. " 

He added that the decision to freeze three instalments of DA/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 the Government finances. 

However the minister added that adverse financial impact of the pandemic in 2020 and the financing of welfare measures taken by the Government had a fiscal spillover beyond the Financial Year 2020-21, the release of arrears of DA/DR was not considered feasible.