Sikkim govt hikes DA for employees, dearness relief for pensioners

The Sikkim government has increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners with effect from January 1, according to a Finance Department circular issued on October 1.

For employees and pensioners drawing pay under the pre-revised basic pay structure, the DA/DR has been increased from 257 per cent to 262 per cent.

For those drawing pay under the revised basic pay structure, the DA/DR has been raised from 58 per cent to 60 per cent, the circular said.

The revised DA rates will also apply to contractual employees and personnel of work-charged establishments who are drawing revised pay in the regular scales of the state government.

The government has also revised the DA for All India Service (AIS) officers.

For AIS officers continuing to draw pay under the pre-revised pay band and grade pay structure based on the Sixth Central Pay Commission, the DA has been increased from 257 per cent to 262 per cent with effect from January 1.

For AIS officers drawing pay under the revised basic pay structure based on the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission, the DA has been raised from 58 per cent to 60 per cent from the same date.

The Finance Department circular further stated that amounts involving a fraction of 50 paise or more would be rounded off to the next higher rupee, while fractions below 50 paise would be ignored.

The Sikkim government has around 50,000 employees and pensioners.