Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has declared a bonanza to the state government employees just before the Diwali festival. The DA has been enhanced by 4%, making it 50% instead of 46% of the basic wage. This decision of a revised 50 percent dearness allowance will be effective from October 1. It will help around 3,90,000 employees in the state to get their DA as per central government employees, a demand made by the employee organisations for years.
This was made before a cabinet meeting planned for Wednesday. The Chief Minister has termed this increase a Diwali gift while noting the continuous demands for bringing them to par with central DA rates. In March 2024, the state government had earlier increased DA from 42% to 46%, which gives a clue of a responsive approach in economic issues concerning civil servants.
In a statement to the media, CM Sai said that this adjustment is necessary considering the increasing living costs and especially as the festive season is around the corner. The announcement has come at a time when central government employees are expecting a 3% DA increase, which also underlines the fact that the wage revision is taking place in the context of a wider government hierarchy.
This is the reason the Chhattisgarh government has set itself the goal of providing its employees with a decent level of remuneration that meets inflation and economic indicators. This latest increase improves the state of affairs of state employees’ personal finances.
Later in today’s cabinet meeting, other decisions on agricultural policies and paddy procurement may also be made, which can have a bearing on the state’s economy. The increase in DA is viewed as a part of a plan in order to take care of the public sector employees along with catering to their needs during festive seasons.
