The Karnataka government on Tuesday announced the increase of Dearness Allowance (DA) to all state government employees and pensioners from 31 per cent to 35 per cent. A government order regarding the same has been issued and it is with effect from January 1, 2023. The DA hike has been a long-standing demand of state government employees and pensioners.
A tweet from Karnataka’s chief minister officer read, “Happy news to all my dear government employee friends. The government has decided to increase the Dearness Allowance from 31% to 35% of the basic pay/basic pension with effect from 1st January 2023.”
This new increase in the DA is applicable to all full-time government employees, employees of Zilla Panchayats, full time employees of aided educational Institutions and universities who are on regular payroll.
In March, the government employees of Karnataka protested for revision of their salaries, implementation of the 7th pay commission report and reintroduction of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Former CM Basavaraj Bommai then announced that he will constitute a committee ask it to submit a report on the demands.
However, the BJP lost the assembly election in Karnataka and the Congress party has now revised the salaries of government employees by increasing the DA. The employees are now expecting the new government to take a decision on reintroduction of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
