Protest against freezing of DA and DR – Confederation
NATIONAL COUNCIL (JCM) STAFF SIDE WRITES
TO THE CABINET SECRETARY
No.NC-JCM-2020/CS/PM
April 23, 2020
The Cabinet Secretary
Government of India,
Cabinet Secretariat
Rashtrapati Bhawan,
New Delhi
Sub: Protest against freezing of Dearness Allowance to Central Government Employees and Dearness Relief to Central Government Pensioners.
Ref: Department of Expenditure OM No.1/1/2020-E-II(B), Dt: 23/04/2020
Dear Sir,
The constituent organizations of the National Council(JCM) are very much shocked to note the arbitrary decision taken by the Government to freeze the DA to Central Govt. Employees and Dearness Relief to the Central Govt. Pensioners up to 30/06/2021. Before taking such a major policy decision the Govt. has not bothered to consult the staff side of the NC(JCM) and without even hearing the views of the staff side, the decision taken especially on a policy matter which effects the wages of the employees and the pension of the senior citizens is against the spirit of the JCM scheme. The entire 48 lakh Central Govt. Employees (including Armed Forces Personnel) and the 65 lakh Pensioners are very much disappointed against the most drastic decision taken by the Govt. against is own employees.
The Central Govt. and State Govt. employees are the one who are playing their front line role in the fight against COVID-19 Virus, by taking all risk and working in the field exposing themselves without any sufficient Personal Protective Equipments. The Railway employees, Defence Civilian employees, Postal employees and all other Central Govt. employees have already contributed their one day wages to the PM-CARES Fund. The Ordnance Factory Employees have contributed their two days wages, In the Railways , Employees belonging to different categories are deployed for various activities such as PW Tracks, signaling, Electrical and Mechanical assests, running freight trains, parcels special trains, Transport essential goods etc. Almost all the Central Government Departments are involved in one or other activities during the entire lockdown period. The Ordnance Factory Employees are directly involved in manufacturing of various Protective Equipment required for the Doctors, Nurses & Health Care Workers and for other Civil Authorities. Ignoring all these contribution of the Govt. Employees, the Govt. is targeting them on the plea of “Crisis arising out of COVID-19”. The Staff side of the National Council (JCM) is of the firm view that the 48 Lakh Central Govt. Employees (including Armed Forces Personnel) and 65 lakh Pensioners do not deserve such a treatment from the Government.
A part from that many of all our affiliates of JCM Staff Side have contributed to PM-CARES Fund crores of rupees. As well as they are providing shelter, Food, Transport etc to mitigate the problem of poor employees / workers who have lost their job and everything in this Lockdown.
Moreover the freezing of DA will have a serious impact of the HRA of the Central Govt. employees. In accordance with 7th CPC recommendations and as approved by the Govt. the HRA rates will be revised from 24% to 27% in “X” cities, and from 16% to 18% in “Y” Cities and 8% to 9% in “Z” cities. The manner in which the price for the essential commodities are rocketing sky high, DA is expected to cross 25% from 01/07/2020 onwards. Since the DA is freezed the employees will loose this hike in the HRA also.
You will appreciate that the Pensioners who are senior citizens are most vulnerable in the fight of the COVID-19 virus and any stoppage of DA in their case at this juncture is not an appreciable decision on the part of the Government.
The decision of the Govt. has subjected the Central Govt. Employees and the Pensioners to unnecessary financial hardship and mental agony when they all are on the field fighting from the frontline against the spread of COVID-19 Virus through various official activities. Therefore we request you to convey our feelings to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and also our request to reconsider the above decision of the Govt. and withdraw the same, so as to motivate the Central Govt. employees to perform their responsibilities, especially in this crisis period.
Yours faithfully,
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
Secretary
Source : Confederation
REKANA NARASINGA RAO says
All the Railway employees & pensioners are not rich. Most of the persons are poor & their minimum basic needs are not at all fullfilled. Just they’re serving Railways with a meagre income what they are receiving as salary after observing all administrative rules & regulations. After retirement most of the Pensioners are totally dependent on their pension. They served life time in Railways with the hope that they may get a financial boost in coming days.
Harish Chandra Joshi says
We the pensioners of central Government has already contributed in PM care fund as per our capacity. We are already living with quarter portion of our monthly income before our retirement but now Government has again kicked us in the dark by frizzing the DA from January 2020 to July 2021. Which is injustice with the retired pensioners.
Deric Dennis says
Iam A senior citizen besides a Railway Pensioner. Iam aged 63 and do have life style diseases like high BP and type 2:Diabetics.The pension is only an allowance for subsistence, hence denying DA relief of January 2020 is a great 😁injustice done to people like us who have served the Railway for more than 34 years. In this present scenarios all essential commodities especially food vegetables and grocery are being exorbitantly charged by dealers. Besides money for medicines other than received from Rly clinics also being in distress. Hence the government should atleast allow DA for the pensioners who are susceptible to get infected by covid due to age factors as well as other ailments. We request the Railway Minister to consider this please and do the needful
Iswar Bhattacharya says
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India is suggested to collect the money from Mr.Sushil Modi, Mr. Nirav Modi. Mr. Vijay Bhalla and others and auction the properties of them those who have taken away and also bring the black money from Swiss Bank those Indians kept to handle this CORONAVIRUS situation but not by freezing the poor amount of DA/DR of Central Government Employees when the amount also collecting through PM Cares.
B.M. SHARMA says
I am also shocked to read this letter of the Secretary, JCM. As a lay man, senior citizen, I understand the coronavirus. The Govt. has /is trying to make all out efforts to normalise the condition. Worldwide it has spread as disaster. We are fortunate that India has less live loss. Almost all the deptts. of the Govt./States have been closed, keeping in view safe distance, Rail/Metro/Buses/Cab etc. etc. are all closed. But JCM is saying we are supporting homeless, providing food, etc. which scene we all have scene. Govt. is releasing salary. Essential services staff, such as doctors, nurses, police, health and sanitation and other deptts. providing electricity, water are performing. People are honouring their services. People of different sectors are contributing crores and crores to help the Govt. If DA of employees/pensioners is freezed, for a specific reason, one should not make hue and cry, at least salary and pension is being released. We should watch the Govt. to overcome Covid-19 and only then write such letters. Jai Hind Jai Bharat.