LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath government has announced a 3 percent increase in the Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees, from the current 28 percent to 31 percent, ahead of the state Assembly elections in 2022.

The raise will take effect retroactively on July 1, 2021, and any arrears will be remitted to the employees' Provident Fund account. The most recent change occurred on July 28, 2021, when the DA was increased to 28 percent, the rate at which employees have been receiving the allowance since then. Due to Covid-19, the DA was not revised until 2020, at which time it was 17 percent.

According to an official, the DA is increased twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, but the Centre and then the state announced in April 2020 that there will be no DA revison until July 1, 2021 in order to help the government financially weather the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to state government sources, portion of the revised DA will be placed in NPS accounts for people who are members of the scheme. Those who retired before the decision was made will get cash payments for their dues.

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