NEW DELHI: CENTRAL Government employees will get a 16 per cent increase in their Dearness Allowance from January this year with the Cabinet on Saturday approving the additional DA installment which would cost the exchequer Rs 1,170 crores. An official said the decision follows a rise in the 12-monthly average of all India Consumer Price Index ending December 1997 which works out to 357.75, constituting an increase of 16.78 per cent over the base index of 306.33. The increased DA will be applicable to pensioners as well since their dearness relief is linked to it.

UPSC exams

NEW DELHI: All examinations, interviews and personality tests being conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on April 14 will be conducted as scheduled despite the day being declared a national holiday. A UPSC release said the test schedule would not be affected by the holiday notice.

Bonus for farmers

NEW DELHI: THE Union Cabinet on Friday decided to give a Central bonus of Rs 55per quintal for wheat over and above the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 455 announced by the previous United Front Government.