Will DA hikes for retired employees be withdrawn? Government dismisses fake news
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The government debunked a false claim about DA hikes for retired employees.
- Amendments to CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 clarify pension benefits.
- The 8th Pay Commission is set to review wages based on a five-member family model.
- Caring for elderly parents is emphasized as both an ethical and legal responsibility.
Mumbai, Nov 14 (NationPress) The government has refuted a widespread social media rumor claiming that retired government employees would cease to receive dearness allowance (DA) increases and future pay commission advantages under the Finance Act 2025.
"This assertion is unfounded. The amendment to Rule 37 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021 clarifies that if an absorbed PSU employee is dismissed due to misconduct, their retirement benefits will be revoked," the government stated in a post on the X platform.
This recent amendment pertains to a specific subset of individuals under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, where Rule 37(29C) was modified following discussions with the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare and the Ministry of Finance.
The update affects former government employees who transitioned into a PSU, noting that their retirement benefits will be forfeited only if they are dismissed from the PSU for misconduct.
The government's fact-checking division highlighted on social media that the viral post inaccurately claimed that the Finance Act 2025 could override a 1982 Supreme Court ruling.
This clarification comes in light of the Centre's endorsement of the Terms of Reference for the 8th Pay Commission, which has an 18-month timeframe to deliver its findings.
The National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM), representing central government employees, has suggested that the 8th Pay Commission should determine the minimum wage using a five-member family model, including elderly parents, rather than the existing three-member model.
Under the current 7th Pay Commission, the family is represented as one unit for the earning husband, 0.8 units for the wife, and 0.6 units for each of two children.
The NC-JCM anticipates changes to this model, asserting that caring for parents is not only an ethical obligation but also a legal duty under Indian law.