The Centre on Thursday approved an additional 5 per cent dearness allowance for Central government employees and pensioners with retrospective effect from July this year.
Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said: "The Cabinet has decided to release an additional instalment of DA to Central government employees and dearness relief to pensioners... representing an increase of 5 per cent over the existing rate of 22 per cent of the basic pay/pension to compensate for price rise."