18-Month DA Arrears: Central government employees and pensioners are waiting for the latest on the 18-month overdue DA arrears. At the same time, with the Dearness Allowance (DA) now revised, employees will be getting their arrears for three months. But this solves very little, as the 18-month overdue dues are still pending, affecting nearly 50 lakh central employees and 65 lakh pensioners.
Why Were the DA Arrears Held Back?
During the time of the pandemic in 2020, the government halted a hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for 18 months (from January 2020 to June 2021) due to financial constraints. On the grounds that the economy is now well off, the pending DA arrears have not been paid, causing trouble for the employees and pensioners.
Demand Resurrected by the Confederation
The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers had again put forth the issue of DA arrears pending for 18 months. In a circular dated March 7, 2025, the Confederation reiterated several demands, such as:
- Payment of DA from January 2020 to June 2021, pending for 18 months.
- Setting up the 8th Pay Commission early.
- Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
- Payment of pending dues in three installments.
Government’s Position on DA Arrears
The central government said that giving DA arrears was an impossibility as per their financial position, and have been reiterating that no arrears shall be paid for the frozen period due to budgetary constraints.