Budget 2014: National Mazdoor Conference demands 20% interim relief to employees

JAMMU: Citing steep hike in prices of essential commodities, National Mazdoor Conference today demanded sanction of 20 per cent interim relief and merging of 50 per cent DA in favour of employees and pensioners in the upcoming Union Budget.

"We demand early sanction of 20 per cent interim relief and merging of 50 per cent DA into their basic pay and pension to offset the economic hardships of salaried class in view of steep hike in the prices of all essential commodities", NMC President Subash Shastri said.

The Centre should provide special package to all states for meeting the expenditure on account of interim relief so that there is no financial burden on them, he said while addressing a workers rally here.

Shastri also urged Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to raise the Income Tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh for salaried class in the 2014-15 budget.

"With price rise and inflation, every salaried class is facing a lot of economic hardships and raising the Income Tax limit to Rs 5 lakh would be a genuine measure to provide some relief to them," he said.

He also sought exemption of DA from the ambit of Income Tax saying it is directly linked with the price index.

He also demanded from the Centre enhancing wages of daily wagers to reach a monthly Rs 10,000.