Five per cent DA announced for J

Srinagar, Oct 15 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government today cleared the payment of five per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) to its employees with effect from July this year.

State Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Karra also cleared an increase in the medical allowance to the government employees from the present Rs 100 to Rs 300.

The decisions were announced by Mr Karra here after a meeting with the representatives of the Civil Secretariat Non-gazetted Employees Union. Commissioner-cum-Secretary Finance B B Vyas was also present at the meeting.

For the first time, the Finance Minister said the state government has maintained parity with the Centre's announcement regarding the release of DA.

Within a few days after the release of DA by the Centre, the state government also released it in favor of its employees.

Mr Karra said the DA arrears for the first three months, starting July, would be deposited in the GP Fund of the employees while for October it would be disbursed with the salary. The DA would be released before Eid-ul-Fitr, he added.

Given the huge increase in medical costs, Mr Karra said the Finance Department has also cleared the enhancement of the monthly medical allowance to the state government employees from existing Rs 100 to Rs 300.

The Finance Minister also cleared the implementation of SRO 210 in favor of the Accounts cadre fulfilling the long pending demand of the Accounts Service employees.

Besides streamlining the accounts service cadre, the decision would offer better promotion avenues to its officers by removing stagnation at various levels.

In another major decision, Mr Karra cleared regularisation of about 150 daily rated workers in the Sericulture Department.

UNI AG VD HT2004