Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday that the Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees will increase from 50 percent to 53 percent, effective December. This decision follows the recent approval of a similar increase for central government employees.
Speaking to the media after a cabinet meeting in Guwahati, Sarma explained that the 3 percent increase will be applied retroactively from July. “State government employees previously received a 50 percent Dearness Allowance. They will now receive 53 percent DA in their December salaries, which means they will effectively get a 3 percent increase from July,” he stated.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that employees will receive arrears for the four months leading up to the implementation of the increase. “Employees will receive 25% of the arrears in December, January, February, and March. However, they can draw the increased DA with their December salary,” he added.
This announcement comes shortly after the Union Cabinet approved a similar 3 percent DA hike for central government employees, which also applies to Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners.
In addition to the DA announcement, CM Sarma confirmed that the salary date for this month has been advanced to ensure that state government employees receive their salaries in time for the Diwali celebrations. “We will roll out this month’s salaries from tomorrow so that all employees can celebrate Diwali without financial stress,” he said.
This move is expected to provide significant relief to government employees ahead of the festive season, allowing them to better manage their finances during this time.