7th Pay Commission: Higher allowances from April 1?

The Committee on Allowances under the 7th Pay Commission has allegedly submitted its report to the government recommending a 2% to 4% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for nearly 1 crore government employees and pensioners. 

However, employees are not happy with the meagre raise in DA and are expected to formally protest the move and demand higher DA. 

The Committee on Allowances is headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa. 

Media reports said that Confederation of Central Government Employees President KN Kutty also displeasure over the DA hike.

India.com reported, "Sources close to National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), leading the campaign to address anomalies on behalf of Central Government employees, have also indicated disappointment over the lacklustre increase in DA, after much await by the employees."

The government has already cleared recommendations made under 7th Pay Commisssion but decision regarding allowances, including DA and transport allowance was referred to another committee called Committee on Allowances. 

7th Pay Commission had recommended HRA at the rates of 24%, 16%, and 8 % and 27%, 18% and 9%, if DA reaches 50%.

The Committee had also proposed to subsume all allowances into one and do away with 52 allowances.