7th Pay Commission: The revised rates of Payment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Armed forces officers and personnel bellow officer ranking including Non-Combatants revised rates is likely to be effective from January 1, 2019. Arun Kumar Mishra, Under Secretary to the Government of India, has written a letter to the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air force regarding the payment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Armed force’s officer and personnel below Officer Rank including Non-Combatants (Enrolled).
Mishra, in letter No. 1(2)/2004-D(Pay/ Services) dated September 18, 2019, said that President Ram Nath Kovind was happy to announce decide that the Dearness Allowance payable to Armed Forces Officers and Personnel below officer rank including NCs(E) shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 9 per cent to 12 per cent with effect from January 1, 2019.
According to the letter, the term Basic Pay in the revised pay structure means the pay drawn in the prescribed Level in the Pay Matrix as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations accepted by the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, but doesn’t include any other type of pay like special pay etc.
The Dearness Allowance will continue to be a distant element of remuneration and it will not be treated as pay within the ambit of the Pay rules of Defence Force personnel. The letter also reads the payment on account of DA involving fractions of 50 paise and above may be rounded to the next higher rupee and the fractions of less than 50 paise may be ignored.
However, it clarified that the payment of arrears of DA should be made before the date of disbursement of salary March 2019.
