The Madhya Pradesh government on March 15 announced an increase of 4 percentage points in the dearness allowance (DA) of the State government employees, taking it from 42% to 46%, an official at the Chief Minister’s Office said.
In a video message, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that the increase will be effective from July 1, 2023. The decision is expected to benefit more than 7 lakh State government employees in Madhya Pradesh.
The move comes just a day before the Election Commission is going to announce the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The ECI is scheduled to release the schedule at a press conference at 3 p.m. on Saturday, bringing the Model Code of Conduct into effect.
“In today’s time, especially when it is a difficult time, we have decided to give this benefit from our side. We hope to further increase it in future,” said Mr. Yadav, congratulating the employees.
Mr. Yadav’s remarks come at a time when Congress claims that the State government is reeling under a heavy financial burden and does not have sufficient funds to continue its various welfare schemes.
The official at the CMO said that the employees will receive their March salary with the increased dearness allowance, while the arrears from July 2023 to February 2024 will be paid in three instalments in July, August and September.
The government employees had long been demonstrating across the State with the demands of a hike in their dearness allowance.
The dearness allowance for Madhya Pradesh government employees, now at 46% after the hike, remains less than that of Central government employees, following a recent hike of 4 percentage points by the Centre taking it to 50%.
Earlier on March 12, Prahlad Singh Patel, Madhya Pradesh’s Minister for Panchayat, Rural Development and Labour, announced a 25% hike in the minimum wages of skilled and unskilled workers of the State. The hike will be effective from April 1.
