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Friday, April 24, 2020

NATIONAL COUNCIL (JCM) STAFF SIDE WRITES

TO THE CABINET SECRETARY

PROTEST AGAINST FREEZING OF DEARNESS ALLOWANCE TO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT           EMPLOYEES AND DEARNESS RELIEF TO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT  PENSIONERS

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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 7^th 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.