New Delhi, March 23
The Cabinet today approved 3 per cent hike in dearness allowance for the Central Government employees. The increase in DA from 21 per cent to 24 per cent will cost the government an additional Rs 1,130 crore per annum.
The burden for January-February 2006-07 on account of the DA hike will be Rs 1,320 crore. The additional cost in case of pensioners will be Rs 460 crore per annum. The Union Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, informed this after the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
However, later briefing newspersons, Information and Broadcasting Minster, Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, said some of the Cabinet and CCEA decisions would be announced later lest it violated the model code of conduct, which is in effect following the announcement of Assembly polls in five states.
The Cabinet also cleared a proposal to introduce the National Institutes of Technology Bill, 2006, in Parliament and bring all 19 NITs within the ambit of the Act. This would enable NITs to become centres of excellence like the IITs and help fulfil the need of the country for quality manpower in the field of engineering, science and technology.
