Karnataka government hikes DA for employees

The Karnataka government on Saturday announced a 4.75 per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA) for its employees, ahead of Diwali.

The state’s Chief Minister, B S Yediyurappa, has also announced an additional Rs 1,000 as hardship allowance for police personnel, along with a revision in their salaries.

The hike announced for government employees would enhance their DA from the existing 6.50 per cent to 11.25 per cent of the basic pay, an order issued by the state Finance Department said.

The hike would come into retrospective effect from July 1, 2019, it said adding that it would be applicable to full-time government employees, Zilla Panchayat staff, employees of aided educational institutions and universities.

The order notes that the hike would also be applicable to pensioners.

With regard to the police personnel, Yediyurappa, in a separate statement, said ahead of the Diwali festival and the Police Martyrs Day, their salaries have been revised with immediate effect as recommended by the Raghavendra Auradkar committee, and along with that the hardship allowance has also been enhanced.

Noting that in June 2016 a committee had been constituted under the leadership of Raghavendra Auradkar (IPS officer and has submitted its report, he said, The government has decided to implement the report and the revised pay scales will come into effect from August 1, 2019.”

“By upgrading the pay scales as recommended in the report, the government has given priority to the welfare of officers and staff of the police department, Yediyurappa said.

The statement said that with the implementation of the report, the monthly salary of a newly joined police constables would go up from Rs 30,427 (including all allowances) to Rs 34,267.

Pointing at the additional Rs 1,000 of hardship allowance for police personnel, it said the hike in the allowance would cost the government an additional Rs 10.70 crore every month and Rs 128.38 crore annually.

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