Instead of freezing DAs, Govt should stop wasteful expenditure: Congress

Congress leaders slammed the Centre for its decision to freeze dearness allowance of central government employees and pensioners and termed it as "insensitive and inhumane" instead of cutting down the central government's "wasteful expenditure".

New Delhi: The Congress, on Friday, termed Finance Ministry's decision to freeze the dearness allowance (DA) as "insensitive and inhumane", while suggesting that Center should instead cut down it's "wasteful expenditure" including bullet train project and Central Vista plan to save money during the crisis of Coronavirus pandemic.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted over the matter, "It is very insensitive and inhume on the part of the Government to cut down DA of central employees, pensioners, and Jawans who are serving our people while fighting Coronavirus, instead of suspending the bullet train project and Central Vista beautification project of lakhs of crores."

During a press conference, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Government of India instead of healing people by giving them financial support, is actually hurting them. In case ever expected revenue was to fall, the first thing you will do is to cut down on wasteful expenditure instead of hitting on the income of people."

He added, "Despite the Corona crisis, Modi government is carrying on with its wasteful expenditure like Rs 23000 crore Central Vista project and Rs 1,10,000 crore bullet train project, nor has the government announced a 30 per cent reduction in government expenditure."

Surjewala also claimed that by proceeding to cut down these DAs of 113 lakh central government employees and pensioners, for 1.5 years, the Center would deduct almost Rs 38,000 crores from their incomes. In addition to that, Rs 11,000 crores will be deducted from the income of 15 lakh serving armed forces personnel and nearly 26 lakh military pensioners.

Congress demanded, "Center should immediately stop this misguided policy and give money in the hands of those who are dealing with a financial crisis in the time of this pandemic."

On the issue of testing rate, Congress suggested the Center to utilize the Private Healthcare Departments in partnership with the Government so that the testing rate can be increased during this period of crisis.

Surjewala said, "We are continuously saying that Testing, Tracing and Quarantine is the only way to defeat this virus. In this fight against the pandemic, Private labs should be utilized in a partnership with the Government ones. This move will increase the rate of testing in the country and also Government should ensure to deduct the rates of testing."