New Delhi, May 19: The announcement on a hike in Dearness Allowance or DA of the central government employees, receiving salaries under the 7th Pay Commission, may be delayed as India is reeling under the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. According to a report, veteran union leader Shiv Gopal Mishra, who negotiated the 7th Pay Commission recommendations with the Centre on behalf employees, said the announcement on DA hike may come in June instead of May. 7th Pay Commission Latest News: Hike in TA Unlikely for Central Government Employees From July 1, Here's Why.

"The DA hike, which was supposed to be announced by the end of April or the middle of May, has now shifted to June," Mishra told DNA. He added that the delay in DA hike announcement is mainly due to the ongoing second wave of COVID-19. Mishra also said the central government employees can expect 4 per cent increase in DA given the fact that the average inflation for July to December 2020 has been around 3.5 percent. 7th Pay Commission: 'Mera Vetan' App Launched for Jammu and Kashmir Employees, Can Get Details Related to Salary, Increments and Other Allowances.

According to Mishra, National Joint Council of Action (NJCA), the consolidated body of central government employee unions, is in constant touch with the Department of Expenditure and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) officials of the Ministry of Finance. Meanwhile, central government employees and pensioners will get full benefits of dearness allowance starting July 1, with all the three pending installments being restored prospectively.

Three installments of DA for central government employees and DR for pensioners, due on January 1, 2020, July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021, were frozen in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As and when the decision to release the future installments of Dearness Allowance due from 01.07.2021 is taken, the rates of DA as effective from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01. 2021 will be restored prospectively and will be subsumed in the cumulative revised rates effective from 01.07.2021," Minister for State for Finance, Anurag Thakur had announced in March.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 19, 2021 04:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).