Deputy CM Outlines Roadmap for Clearing Government Employee DA Arrears

Hyderabad, March 23: In a move providing significant relief to the state’s workforce, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka addressed the Telangana Legislative Assembly today, providing a crucial update on the disbursement of Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears for government employees and pensioners.

Speaking during the ongoing budget session, the Deputy CM reaffirmed the government’s commitment to clearing the long-pending financial dues. He announced that the administration has streamlined the process to ensure that the arrears, which have accumulated over several installments, are credited systematically to the employees’ General Provident Fund (GPF) accounts and paid out to pensioners.

The announcement follows the formal government orders (G.O.s) issued earlier this year, which sanctioned a 3.64% DA hike. Vikramarka emphasized that despite the state’s tight fiscal situation—highlighted during the presentation of the ₹3.24 lakh crore state budget last week—the welfare of “the engines of governance” remains a top priority. He noted that the arrears for the period spanning from July 2023 to December 2025 are being processed for payout in installments to balance the state’s immediate liquidity needs with the employees’ rights.

In addition to the DA update, the Deputy CM highlighted several other employee-centric initiatives introduced in this session, most notably the new Cashless Health Security Scheme. This initiative is set to provide digital health cards to all government employees and pensioners, allowing for treatment of nearly 2,000 diseases across a network of over 400 private and public hospitals.

The session saw spirited discussions as opposition members raised queries regarding the exact timeline for the full settlement of all pending DAs. Vikramarka assured the House that the Finance Department is working on a clear “arrears roadmap” to ensure no employee is left behind, particularly those nearing retirement, who are slated to receive their payments in 30 equal monthly installments starting this quarter.