Gangtok, Oct 1 (IANS) The Sikkim government has announced an increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners, effective January 1, in a Finance Department circular issued Wednesday.
Under the revised order, employees and pensioners drawing salaries or pensions under the pre-revised basic pay structure will receive DA/DR at 262 per cent, up from the existing 257 per cent.
For employees and pensioners covered under the revised basic pay structure, DA/DR has been increased from 58 per cent to 60 per cent.
The revised rates will also apply to contractual employees and personnel working in work-charged establishments who are drawing revised pay in the regular scales of the state government.
The Finance Department has also revised the Dearness Allowance applicable to All India Service (AIS) officers posted in the state.
For AIS officers continuing to draw salaries under the pre-revised pay band and grade pay structure based on the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission, the DA has been raised from 257 per cent to 262 per cent, effective from January 1.
Similarly, AIS officers drawing pay under the revised basic pay structure based on the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission will receive DA at 60 per cent, up from 58 per cent.
The revised rates will apply from January 1, with financial implications calculated under the applicable pay structures.
The government circular also specified rules for rounding off the revised payment amounts.
Fractions of 50 paise or more will be rounded off to the next higher rupee, while amounts below 50 paise will be ignored.
The decision is expected to benefit a large section of the state government workforce and pensioners.
The Sikkim government has around 50,000 employees and pensioners.
The revision of DA and DR is linked to changes in the cost of living and is intended to provide employees and pensioners relief against inflation.
The latest order covers both state government employees and pensioners under different pay structures, as well as eligible contractual and work-charged personnel and AIS officers serving in Sikkim.
The Finance Department issued the circular on October 1, formalising the revised rates and their applicability from the beginning of the year.
–IANS
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