4 % hike in dearness allowance for state govt employees, big decision of Madhya Pradesh CM in poll year

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a four per cent hike in the dearness allowance (DA) for the state government employees, a move that comes ahead of the state Assembly elections scheduled by the year-end.

Chouhan made the announcement while addressing a mass marriage function at Gillor village in Sehore district on Friday evening.

The state government will increase the DA by four per cent to bring it on par with the one offered by the Centre, he said on the occasion.

Elections for the 230-member Assembly in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state are likely to be held in November this year.

The results of the 2018 elections threw up a hung Assembly, with the Congress emerging as the single largest party winning 114 seats, while the BJP bagging 109 seats.

The Congress had formed a government with senior leader Kamal Nath at the helm. However, his dispensation collapsed in March 2020 after MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia revolted, paving the way for BJP's Chouhan to return as the chief minister.