The Jharkhand government has decided to raising dearness allowances (DA) of its employees to 28 per cent with effect from July 1 this year.

The decision to increase DA was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday. A total of 19 proposals were taken up at today’s meeting.

Briefing the media, cabinet coordination secretary Vandana Dadel said that state government employees will now get 28 per cent DA against 17.5 per cent. The DA of pension holders was also hiked. “Close to 2.5 lakh state government employees will be benefitted by Tuesday's decision,” she said.

In another significant decision, the state cabinet cleared amendments in the Indian stamp duty regulations which will allow the government to increase rates of deeds, affidavits, land and property registry, among others. The revised rates are likely to be applicable from August 1. While Dadel did not provide details of the quantum of hikes, she said the state would generate additonal revenue to the tune of Rs 200 crore because of this decision.

The cabinet also agreed to engage the National Institute of Hydrology in Roorkee to prepare an action plan for the implementation of the pogrammes of the Union ministry of Jal Shakti.

The cabinet also agreed to the state education department’s plan to distribute free textbooks to students of classes IX, X and XI of government schools.