Good news for J&K employees: Govt hikes HRA, now payable as per revised structure

Jammu: J&K government employees will get revised House Rent Allowance (HRA) with effect from July 1, 2021.

The revision has been made by effecting an amendment in the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (House Rent Allowance and City Compensatory Allowance) Rules, 1992.

As per the revised rates, the J&K government employees in all metropolitan cities (X class cities) will get HRA at the rate of 27 percent of basic pay. This rate will be 18 percent of basic pay for the employees in Srinagar and Jammu Urban Areas (Y class cities). The employees at “other places (Z class locations)” will get HRA at the rate of 9 percent of basic pay.

The amendment has been made with the addition as “fourth proviso to rule 4(1) of the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (House Rent Allowance and City Compensatory Allowance) Rules, 1992, as contained in Schedule XXII of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations, Vol. II.”

As per a notification issued by the Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Finance Department Atal Dulloo, addition to the Rules was made following a direction by the Lieutenant Governor, in exercise of the powers conferred by proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India.

“Provided also that w.e.f 01.07.2021, the House Rent Allowance to the government employees of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, shall be payable in the revised pay structure (as per classification notified by central government),” read the notification.

Meanwhile, few employees in the civil secretariat, while speaking to Greater Kashmir, picked holes in the mechanism of granting HRA.

“The government has no mechanism in place to check how many employees (including Move employees) fraudulently draw HRA by submitting fake affidavits although they are having their own houses in the places where they serve,” they complained.