# DA hike 2026: No festive relief yet for 1.2 crore employees and pensioners

> Central government employees and pensioners wait for July 2026 DA hike amid delay.
- Title: DA hike 2026: No festive relief yet for 1.2 crore employees…
- Summary: Central government employees and pensioners wait for July 2026 DA hike amid delay.
- Keywords: central government employees, dearness allowance, da hike, pensioners, diwali, july 2026, unannounced increase, news, india, hike, 2026, festive
- Source: mint — https://livemint.com/money/personal-finance/da-hike-2026-no-festive-relief-yet-for-1-2-crore-employees-and-pensioners-when-will-centre-announce-the-3-increase-11792589277300.html
- Author: Kirti Jha
- Published: 2026-10-21T14:35:06+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: central government employees, dearness allowance, da hike, pensioners, diwali, july 2026, unannounced increase, news, india
## DA hike delay
Central government employees and pensioners face longer wait for July 2026 dearness allowance hike.
## Expected 3% increase
The anticipated 3-percentage-point hike could raise dearness allowance to 63% from current 60%.
## No official announcement
No official announcement made on 21 october 2026 despite expectations around dussehra.
## Previous DA revision
Last revision approved by union cabinet on 18 april 2026 raised dearness allowance from 58% to 60% with effect from 1 january 2026.
## Affected population
Approximately 50.46 lakh central government employees and 68.27 lakh pensioners benefit from current dearness allowance.
## Financial impact
The combined annual financial implication of the last dearness allowance hike was estimated at 6791.24 crore rupees.
## Pending payment
The july 2026 instalment remains pending despite more than three months since its usual effective date.
## Next steps
Employees await approval before diwali for 3% increase and when additional payments including arrears will reach accounts.
## Key takeaway

Central government employees and pensioners face delayed 3% DA hike increase expected by Diwali.