Did the Government Really Withdraw Post-Retirement Benefits Under the Finance Act?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Central government denies false claims
- No withdrawal of post-retirement benefits
- Clarification on DA and basic pay merger
- Response to inflation concerns
- Employee unions advocating for DA revisions
New Delhi, Dec 15 (NationPress) The Central government has officially dismissed the misleading information circulating on social media platforms that post-retirement benefits, including dearness allowance (DA) increases and pay commission revisions, are set to be eliminated under the Finance Act 2025.
A viral message on #WhatsApp falsely claims that the Central Government has rescinded post-retirement benefits such as DA hikes and Pay Commission revisions for retired employees as per the Finance Act 2025. This assertion is FALSE!,” stated PIB Fact Check, a verification unit of the Press Information Bureau, on the X social media platform.
Amendments to Rule 37 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 specify that if an absorbed PSU employee is terminated for misconduct, their retirement benefits will be forfeited.
Previously, the Ministry of Finance clarified that the government has no plans to merge the dearness allowance (DA) of central government employees with basic pay.
Amid rising speculation regarding the 8th Central Pay Commission, the Centre has reiterated that there are currently no proposals under review to offer any interim relief to central government employees. In response to a written question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, confirmed that the government is not evaluating any plans to merge the current dearness allowance with basic pay.
“There are no proposals concerning the merger of the existing dearness allowance with the basic pay under consideration by the government at this time,” he mentioned.
Chaudhary was addressing inquiries that highlighted that central government employees and pensioners are facing unprecedented inflation levels, asserting that DA and DR adjustments are not aligned with the current retail inflation trends.
Employee unions have also been advocating for the merger of 50 percent DA with basic pay, especially following the government’s announcement regarding the terms of reference for the 8th CPC earlier in November.