2% DA hike approved for govt employees, Cabinet clears Rs 13,000 cr maritime fund & PMGSY extension

PTC Web Desk:  The Union Cabinet has approved a 2% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for central government employees and pensioners, sources said after the meeting.

DA is revised twice a year, usually in January and July, and is linked to inflation. It is calculated based on the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW), released monthly by the Labour Bureau.

This time, the announcement came later than expected. Employee unions had earlier raised concerns, saying the hike is usually declared by the end of September, with arrears paid in early October.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister also targeted the Opposition for not supporting the Women’s Reservation Bill. He said the Opposition would have to face the political consequences of its stand and accused it of having a negative approach towards women.

He added that Opposition parties are now trying to defend their position after opposing the bill and said their move had gone against the interests of women.

Apart from the DA hike, the Cabinet approved the creation of a Sovereign Maritime Fund worth Rs 13,000 crore. The fund is aimed at providing affordable and stable insurance support for Indian-flagged ships and vessels operating in and out of the country.

The Cabinet also cleared the extension of the Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) till 2028, along with an additional allocation of Rs 3,000 crore.