New Delhi, Mar 7: The Union Cabinet is expected to notify 2 per cent dearness allowance hike for central government employees. The decision could be finalised either in the Cabinet meeting to be held today, or the forthcoming week. The hike is in accordance to the revised recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.

The National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) - a concerted body of unions which has been petitioning on behalf of the employees - had demanded the government to further raise the dearness allowance, as compared to what was recommended by the Justice (retd) AK Mathur-led panel's 7th CPC report.

The incumbent DA is calculated at 5 percent of the basic pay of an employee's salary. With 2 per cent additional hike, the DA rate will surge to 7 per cent.

"Considering the rising level of inflation, the DA has to be raised," NJCA chief Shiv Gopal Mishra had earlier said.

Apart from the DA hike which would benefit nearly 47 lakh central government employees, over 50 lakh pensioners would also be benefited with a similar 2 per cent increase in the Dearness Relief provided to them.

While the DA hike has come as a major relief to the employees, a section of government's workforce are awaiting a positive alteration in the fitment factor used to determine their minimum wages.

The NJCA has demanded the government to raise the minimum salary of Group C&D government employees to Rs 26,000 from Rs 18,000, using the fitment factor of 3.14, rather than 2.57 as recommended by the original pay commission report.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2018 04:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).