Freezing of Dearness Relief: NCCPA wirtes to PM that the Dearness relief, in our opinion is not legally tenable without the consent of the concerned pensioner.
National Coordination Committee of Pensioners Association
13C, FEroze Shah Road, New Delhi 110001
To
The Honourable Prime Minister,
Government of India,
South Block,
New Delhi. 110 001
Dear Sir,
Sub: Freezing of dearness allowance to Central Government Employees and dearness relief to Central Government Pensioners at current rates till July, 2021.
Please refer to the O.M. No. 1/1/2020-EII (B) dated 23rd April, 2020 issued by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance in view of the crisis arising out of the pandemic Covid -19. ordering that the dearness relief to Central Government Pensioners will be freezed at the current rates till July, 2021. In this connection, we on behalf of the Central Government pensioners submit the following for your kind consideration.
The Central Government pensioners, immediately after your appeal for donation to combat the spread of the pandemic Covid-19 had voluntarily contributed to the Prime Minister Relief Fund or the respective Chief Minister’s Relief fund to the best of their capacity. Pensioners, as you are aware Sir, being senior Citizens are mostly inflicted with several diseases and physical debilities and are presently directed by the authorities to be confined to their homes. They are prohibited to go out and are depended upon others for their dire needs. Pension being 50% of the last drawn salary or even less, they are seldom able to make the both ends meet.
Confederation of CGE&W strongly oppose Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief freezing
The above cited order of the Government of India has been a bolt from the blue for many pensioners. Since they are depended upon others for every of their needs, the procurement of medicines, visiting hospitals, collecting groceries et all, have become costlier than what it was a few months back. In fact presently they are in dire need of extra allowances to pull on. They along with the millions of people all over the world wanted the pandemic to end and therefore, support every decision of the Government especially the restrictions imposed on their movement.
The decision of the Government to freeze the Dearness allowance which had become due on 1st January, 2020 is an unprecedented one. We earnestly feel that the country’s economy has not reached such a situation that the Government needs to curtail the meager pension income of the old people. Never in the political history of the country, even when its very existence was threatened by external aggression or during the worst financial crisis of 1990s the Government has resorted to confiscate the pension income of senior citizens. No doubt our country like many other Nations of the world is fighting to wipe out the pandemic and the lock down has halted all economic activities. We are certain that you will be able to note that no other country has decided to confiscate the income of pensioners. We feel that our country’s economy is robust and is capable of facing the challenges without resort to pauperizing the pensioners. While benefit packages are extended to considerably well to-do segments in the society, the denial of the due entitlements to the pensioners is extremely painful.
From the order it is seen that the Government has not only decided to freeze the DR entitlements but would not also release the arrears even after the normalcy in the economic activities is brought about. We can only characterize it as the unkindest cut. We also would like to point out that an appeal from your good-self for donation would have elicited greater response and the pensioners who are comparatively well off would have responded admirably and the Government might have collected more than what it would receive by the operation of the above cited order. That would have helped immensely the comparatively low income pensioners, especially the family pensioners.
It would, therefore, be appropriate that the pensioners are excluded from the purview of the O.M.cited . The decision to impound the arrears of Dearness relief in July,2021 is extremely harsh on low income pensioners and family pensioners especially. Impounding the Dearness relief, in our opinion is not legally tenable without the consent of the concerned pensioner. The Finance Ministry is well aware of the rule that the entitled pension cannot be curtailed. Whoever has advised the Government that the Dearness Relief on pension should not be construed as pension are wrong and their interpretation is not at all tenable.
We, therefore, appeal to you that for the reasons stated by us in the preceding paragraphs, the order issued by the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure cited, may be directed to be withdrawn forthwith.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
K.K.N.Kutty
Secretary General.
Source: http://nccpahq.blogspot.com/2020/04/nccpa-email-to-honourable-prime.html
COMMENTS
Instead of the harsh & illogical step to freeze the da/dr of CGEs, as expressed by almost all affected people, the Government should withdraw the order & instead cut one day’s pay/pension of its 1.3 crore staff & pensioners for every month till the situation becomes absolutely normal.In these hard days employees & pensioners are struggling to maintain their families. Many are in debts for one or other reason. It is really a pity to stop their da/dr, given once every six months, which they eagerly await & smile when it is announced. So please withdraw the unpleasant order & see the smile on these faces. Seniors/super-senoirs are worst hit by freezing their dr. A kind consideration is required and requested to review the the order. Everyone is fighting the pandemic.
In these hard days
Pensioners are receiving dearness relief as only income other than pension. They are not eligible to receive CCA,HRA,LTC,OVERTIME,MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT,TRANSPORT etc allowances,just like employees. Their Only source is DR.They have to manage their family with 50% of salary of what they received while in service.
Pensioners above the age of 80 have to meet more additional expenses towards medical,taking rich traditional foods to avoid any epidemic. They worked sincerely and uplifted this country to the present position of standing 2nd democracy in the world, with 130 crore people.
Is it correct on the part of govt to freeze their only source of 2 or 3 percent increase in their pension once in 6 months?
Secondly, Govt directs all industries, companies and other employers not to deduct salary and wages from their employees and workers. One side it is directing as above. In the meantime the other side, Govt had frozen the dearness relief of pensioners from January 2020 to July 2021 at present.
Our Hon’ble Prime Minister kindly reconsider the order issued at the earliest.
I am very much shocked about the embargo on DR for Pensioners .This is an unwanted ,unscientific decision.Those who are at the terminal period of life ,perhaps will not get the benefit .Besides in service employees are regularly paying I.Tax .They are in advantageous condition particularly group A & B officers whose salary cut will continue for one year.Irony of fate is that if Govt.gives full exemptions from IT for such donations there will be reduced IT Payment.Less income means lesser Income Tax.O.K. is not it going to hamper the Income Tax revenue of the same Govt?The cunning tactics have been applied here to save money from Pensioners only where more than 80% Income Tax calculations comes to NIL.This point may kindly be intimated while submitting the memorandum in future.
Thanks.
What happened to the black money in Swiss banks? What action taken to confiscate the property of BIG FISHES such as Niravmodi,etc. A special experts committee can be formed to find ways & means to auction their property and bring back money from Swiss bank..Presidential order to bring back the money and utilize for the corona virus. Cabinet can discus this issue and ordinance can be issued…Further loans have not been returned and have become NPA properties can be auctioned and the proceeds be utilized. If any obstruction from legal angle, that can be sorted out by appointing a council of very experienced jurists to recommend ways & means to clear the obstructions. At present secretariat will be very busy in dealing with virus cases. Cabinet can discuss and arrange to form a special cell for this purpose. There would not be any necessity to freeze DA/DR of CG employees and pensioners. CGE federations /associations may kindly bring this to the notice of our beloved Hon’ble PM &FM .
NccpA highlights present situation facing by the pensioners.Thank you,sir’s.
While postponing DR is understandable freezing is hard on sr citizens who spend extra onall requirements
Well done Sir.
Instead of extending financial help to senior exservicemen as done to other section of society freezing their Dearness Relief is like snatching begging bowl and a shame for Prime Minister Modi.