7th Pay Commission: Big Announcement On DA Hike Coming Next Month? Know How Much Salary Hike Is In Offing

New Delhi: DA Hike Update 7th Pay Commission: Lakhs of central government employees, waiting keenly for announcement on Dearness Allownace Hike, may hear the good news next month. As per media reports, the government might announce DA hike for employees in September, though nothing officially has been confirmed as yet.

7th Pay Commission: June AICPI Index Boost For DA

The latest AICPI Index data have given the much needed enthusiasm to lakhs of central government employees who have been waiting for the announcement of the Dearness Allowance (DA). AICPI Index is the final data for determining the calculation of Dearness Allowance and the foundation for determining the DA quantum. Figures of AICPI Index number for the month of June paints an optimistic picture.

The figures for June 2023 AICPI index have been declared by the government that shows that there has been a big jump in the index. The June index has reached 136.4 points as compared to the index number in May which was 134.7 points. A total increase of 1.7 points has been registered in June. According to the figures of May, the total DA score was 45.58 percent, which has increased to 46.24 percent in June 2023, depending on AICPI index figures.

7th Pay Commission: Quantum Of DA Hike

Talking to news agency PTI, All India Railwaymen Federation General Secretary Shiva Gopal Mishra said, "The CPI-IW for June 2023 was released on July 31, 2023. We are demanding a four percentage point hike in dearness allowance. But the dearness allowance hike works out to be a little over three percentage points. The government does not factor in hiking DA beyond the decimal point. Thus DA is likely to be increased by three percentage points to 45 percent".

He further explained that the expenditure department of the Finance Ministry will formulate a proposal to hike DA along with its revenue implication and will put up the proposal before the Union Cabinet for approval.

The DA hike will be effective from July 1, 2023. Presently, over one crore central government employees and pensioners are getting a 42 percent dearness allowance.

All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers 

Last week, the government also released the The All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers (Base: 1986-87=100) for the month of July, 2023. Data showed that All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers increased by 19 points each to stand at 1215 (One thousand two hundred and fifteen) and 1226 (One thousand two hundred and twenty six) points respectively. The major contribution towards the rise in general index of Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers came from food group to the extent of 18.23 and 18.28 points respectively mainly due to increase in prices of rice,  wheat atta, pulses, milk, fish-fresh/dry, gur, chillies-green/dry, turmeric, garlic, ginger, onion, mixed spices, brinjal, tomato, gourd, etc.

The rise in index varied from State to State. In case of Agricultural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 29 points in 20 States. Tamilnadu with 1420 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with 932 points stood at the bottom.