A viral WhatsApp message is causing concern among pensioners, falsely claiming that the central government has scrapped post-retirement benefits like Dearness Allowance (DA) hikes and Pay Commission revisions under the Finance Act, 2025. PIB Fact Check confirms this is fake news, clarifying that pensioners receive Dearness Relief (DR), not DA, which is for government employees. The message is misleading as it confuses the terms, leading to unnecessary worry. The PIB Fact Check team on X (formerly Twitter) addressed this, stating that Rule 37 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, has been amended to state that absorbed PSU employees dismissed for misconduct will lose their retirement benefits, but this does not apply to all central government pensioners. Dearness Allowance is a cost-of-living adjustment for government employees, while pensioners receive Dearness Relief, declared twice a year, mostly in March and September. The confusion arises from the terms, but the government's pension system remains intact.
