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 crors 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
Copy To:-
The
Secretary, Department of Personnel &Training, for information
& necessary Action
The Secretary, Department of
Expenditure, Ministry of Finance for information & necessary
Action
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