When prices rise unchecked and essential needs slip beyond the reach of ordinary citizens, government employees — the backbone of administration — are left struggling to make ends meet. The pending Dearness Allowance (DA) instalment, due since July this year, has deepened that struggle, testing the patience and morale of thousands of employees and pensioners.
According to the 7th Central Pay Commission, once DA crosses 50 per cent, the government is obligated to merge 50 per cent of it with the basic pay or pension. With DA now touching 58 per cent, the delay in this merger is unjustified and insensitive. This adjustment is not a luxury but a necessary correction to preserve real income in times of inflation.
Equally pressing is the demand for regularisation of daily rated workers under SRO 64 — individuals who have served for years without security or benefits. Their continued uncertainty is a mark of neglect by a system that relies heavily on their labour yet refuses to recognise their contribution.
Reforms in the pension system are also overdue. Reducing the commutation period from 15 to 12 years and providing a 5, 10, and 15 per cent increase in pension at the ages of 65, 70, and 75 respectively would offer long-awaited relief to senior citizens who have given their lives to public service.
The government must understand that fulfilling these obligations is not an act of generosity; it is a question of fairness and accountability.
Lavish spending on publicity cannot justify neglecting those who run the machinery of governance.
With Diwali approaching, timely release of DA dues and implementation of these reforms would send a strong message of justice and goodwill.
Delay and indifference, however, will only deepen resentment — something no government should invite from its own workforce.DD
