For hundreds of thousands of central government employees, the question remains the same – was the dearness allowance (DA) hike approved in the recent Union Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday? So far the answer is no.
Despite growing expectations during March and into April, the government did not announce any amendment to the development agenda. This delay is unusual, as reviews for the first half of the year are usually announced in March. As the second week of April comes to a close, staff closely follow each Cabinet meeting, hoping for clarity.
Big decisions have been made, but the DA is missing
The latest Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, saw several major approvals – but none of them were related to the development agenda.
Read also | Why salaries have been realigned as of April 1, and manual wages may fall: explained
According to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnao, five major decisions related to investments and subsidies are due $News agency PTI reported that Rs 1,74,207 crore were liquidated. However, the long-awaited DA review was not part of these announcements.
At present, central government employees continue to get 58% dearness allowance.
Infrastructure push in Arunachal
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) focused on large-scale investments in infrastructure, especially in the energy sector.
Read also | Oracle Severance Benefit: How much will laid off workers in India and US get as compensation?
Two major hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh have received approval, with combined investments exceeding $100 billion. $40,000 Crores. These projects aim to enhance energy generation, enhance supply and improve the national grid.
One of them is the 1,200 MW Kalay II hydropower project on the Lohit River in Angau district. With an investment of $14,105.83 crore, the project is expected to be completed in 78 months and generate 4852.95 million units of power annually. It will be implemented through a joint venture between THDC India Limited and the state government.
The second project, the 1,720 MW Kamala Hydropower Project, will be implemented in the Kamli, Kara Dadi and Korung Kume districts. It involves an investment $26,069.50 crore and is expected to generate 6870 million units of power. This project will be implemented by NHPC Limited in partnership with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
Both projects are expected to enhance energy supply, support demand management at peak times, and contribute to achieving balance in the national grid. In addition, the Kamala Project is expected to provide flood mitigation benefits in the Brahmaputra Valley.
The government also pledged to provide financial support for infrastructure, including roads, bridges and transportation systems. Local communities are expected to benefit through employment opportunities, compensation and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Even as the government pushes ahead with major infrastructure investments, the absence of a dedicated agenda announcement remains a source of concern for central staff.
(with PTI inputs)
