Fact-Check: DA (Dearness Allowance) Increased By 4%? Government Says Fake News

The fact-checking wing of the Public Information Bureau (PIB), the centre's nodal agency, has issued a clarification related to a letter claiming that the dearness allowance (DA) of central government employees has been received from 34 per cent to 38 per cent.

The bureau also added that the letter was circulated on WhatsApp. 

Sharing a picture of the "fake order" on Twitter, the PIB fact check team said, "A fake order circulating on WhatsApp is claiming that the additional instalment of Dearness Allowance will be effective from July 1, 2022.

The Department of Expenditure has not issued any such order." The text on the image read, "The Ministry of Finance has not issued the memorandum."

The "fake circular" subject line read, "Grant of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees- Revised Rates effective from 01.07.2022."

This was followed by the note that stated, "The President is pleased to decide that the Dearness Allowance payable to Central Government Employees shall be enhanced from the existing rate of 34% to 38% of the basic pay with effect from July 1 2022."

It also carried a memorandum number to make it look authentic. The letter also carried the signature of Nirmala Dev, Deputy Secretary to the Government Of India.  

In January 2022, the central government decided to increase the DA by 3 per cent, taking it to 34 per cent.

The next installment announcement is due and 

as of now, close to 47 lakh central government employees and more than 68 lakh pensioners are getting the benefits of the Dearness Allowance.