8th Pay Commission Latest Update: Pensioners Want Rs 45k Monthly, DA Hikes 4 Times a Year

Nearly 10 lakh retired employees across India are eagerly waiting for the 8th Pay Commission's report. They are struggling with rising inflation, and the increasing costs of healthcare and daily life are making things very difficult for them.

Pensioners want faster pay reviews

About 10 lakh retired employees across the country are watching the 8th Pay Commission closely. The Bharat Pensioners Samaj (BPS) is strongly demanding that the commission should review pensions more frequently, not just once every ten years, because of rising costs.

Demand for quarterly DA and DR hikes

Currently, the government revises Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) only twice a year. The BPS says this six-month delay hurts pensioners badly, as prices of essential goods change every month. They are demanding that the government should increase DA and DR every three months.

Merge DR with basic pension at 25%

The pensioners' body also wants a new rule. They demand that Dearness Relief (DR) should be merged with the basic pension as soon as it crosses the 25% mark. Representatives of the Bharat Pensioners Samaj believe this will protect pensioners' purchasing power against rising inflation.

Push for higher minimum pension and pay

The association has proposed a big hike in the minimum pension from the current ₹9,000 per month. They are pushing for a 3.83 fitment factor and a minimum basic pay of ₹69,000 for employees. They also suggested that pay and pension should be reviewed every five years, not ten.

No discrimination in pension revision

The pensioners' body has demanded equal pension revision for everyone, with no discrimination between those who retire before and after January 1, 2026. Meanwhile, the 8th Pay Commission, headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, has picked up its pace of work.

Commission to hold meetings across India

After its meeting in Delhi, the commission will soon meet with various organisations in Chennai, Puducherry, Chandigarh, and Jaipur. The commission has an 18-month deadline and is expected to submit its final report to the government by May-June of next year.