New Delhi, Oct 21 : A Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved an additional instalment of three percent dearness allowance for the central government employees and dearness relief to the pensioners with effect from July 1, 2021. Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that this three percent increase will be on the existing rate of 28 percent of the basic pay or pension. This will benefit about 47.14 lakh central government employees and 68.62 lakh pensioners, Thakur added. He said that this will cost Rs 9,488.70 cr to the exchequer on account of both dearness allowance and dearness relief. He informed that today (Thursday) India achieved a remarkable feat by administering 100 crore Covid 19 vaccines and appreciated the efforts of all the frontline workers, healthcare workers and states and union territories for making this possible. Referring to the 100 crore vaccinations under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, he said the whole country is congratulating him on achieving this feat. "During the pandemic period, the Prime Minister stood behind the poor and distributed free rations to over 80 crore poor of the country," he said. Replying to a question regarding the relaxation in Covid protocols after 100 crore vaccinations, Thakur said that due to strict adherence to the Covid protocols, the impact of the pandemic is now substantially less but it is not over yet. "The government has been relaxing the protocol from time to time. The experts have been advising people regularly but the pandemic has not gone yet and all are advised to follow the health protocol and use of face mask", he added. The Minister said that the PM Gati Shakti - National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity to economic zones was also approved by the Cabinet and the Cabinet Secretary will monitor the development of this master plan periodically. /IANS