Transport staff get 7% DA hike

CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday announced a seven per cent hike in the Dearness Allowance for employees and workers of the eight State-owned transport corporations, with retrospective effect from July 1, 2011. The hike will be paid in cash without any arrears.This will incur an additional expenditure of `9.15 crore per month to the transport corporations. The hike will benefit 1,19,261 personnel of the eight transport corporations. The CM expressed confidence that the DA hike would encourage the employees to work more efficiently.The CM said that after the Central government hiked the DA for its staff from 51 per cent to 58 per cent with effect from July 1, 2011, she effected a similar hike in DA for the State government employees and directed that the dues be paid in cash. Similarly, the DA for transport employees has also been hiked, she said.