CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a 4% hike in dearness allowance, from 42% to 46%, for around 16 lakh government employees, teachers and pensioners with retrospective effect from July 1, on Wednesday. The move will cost the exchequer an additional expenditure of Rs 2,546 crore.
The revised DA shall apply to government employees, teaching and non-teaching staff working in aided educational institutions, employees under local bodies, employees governed by the University Grants Commission/All India Council for Technical Education scales of pay, teachers, physical education directors and librarians in government and aided polytechnics and special diploma institutions, village assistants in the revenue department, noon meal organisers, child welfare organisers, Anganwadi workers, cooks, helpers, panchayat secretaries, clerks in village panchayats and other employees coming under the pay matrix.
An official release here said the hike has been announced despite the severe financial crisis and debt burden inherited from the previous AIADMK regime.