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
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