Rahul Gandhi hits out at centre for freezing DA, DR hike

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi hit out at the centre's decision to stop the hike in Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief to all government employees, pensioners in view of the financial situation in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic calling it 'insensitive and inhumane', here on Friday.

"It is an insensitive and inhumane decision taken by the government to cut DA (Dearness Allowance) of central employees, pensioners and jawans serving the public at a time where the country is fighting against the coronavirus, instead of suspending the multi-million bullet train project and the Central Vista beautification project," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

The Ministry of Finance on Thursday stopped a hike in dearness allowance (DA) for the central government employees and dearness relief (DR) for the central government pensioners till July next year.

According to the order issued, no arrears will be paid for the period from January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

"In view of the crisis arising out of COVID-19, it has been decided that the additional instalment of dearness allowance payable to Central Government employees and dearness relief to Central Government pensioners, due from January 1, 2020, shall not be paid," the order said.

-ANI

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