7th Pay Commission: Higher education benefit, big hike in DA for 16 lakh employees

New Delhi, Mar 25: There has been a major announcement on the 7th Pay Commission for nearly 16 lakh employees.

The Uttar Pradesh government has now announced a hike in the Dearness Allowance for its employees. The DA has been filed from 3 to 12 per cent. The government would now pay the dues of the DA for the period of January 1 2019 to February 28 2019.

The same would be done in cash as soon as possible in this Financial Year itself. The DA for the month of March will be paid along with the salary in the month of April.

The hike would come into effect retrospectively from January 1 2019. This would mean that the employees would two month DA arrears before March 31.

The 10 per cent from the DA arrears of the employees covered under National Pension Scheme (NPS) will be deposited into their Tier- I pension account and the state government will also contribute a similar amount into the employees' pension accounts, an official notification read.

Meanwhile the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions has approved an increase in the incentives for highly qualified CG employees.

The ministry has said that there would be a five fold increase in the one-time incentives given to the employees provided they acquire a higher degree while serving in their respective departments.

The ministry said that a lump sum amount of Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 would be given those CG employees acquiring fresh higher educational qualifications. The ministry termed this as a Holi gift.

The ministry said, Central Government Servants acquiring fresh higher qualifications after coming into service are granted incentive in the form of one-time lump-sum amount ranging from 2000/- to 10,000/-, as provided in this Department's OM No. 1/2/89-Estt.(Pay-l) dated 09.04.1999 and other related OMs."

The move is aimed at encouraging CG employees to go for a higher educational degree.
If a person has done a degree/diploma (3 years), then a lump sum amount of Rs 10,000 would be payable, if the degree/diploma is more than 3 years or equivalent, then the payable amount is Rs 15,000. If the postgraduate degree/diploma is of duration of 1 year or less, then the payable amount would be Rs 20,000 and if the postgraduate degree/ diploma is of duration of more than 1 year or equivalent, then the amount payable would be Rs 25,000. In the case of those who have acquired a PhD degree or its equivalent, then the incentive would stand at Rs 30,000.

The CG employee could claim the incentive within six months from the date, he or she acquires the higher degree. The order was issued under the 7th Pay Commission.