# DA hike delayed again? 1.2 crore employees wait longer

> Central government employees face longer wait for 3% DA hike after Cabinet delay.
- Title: DA hike delayed again? 1.2 crore employees wait longer
- Summary: Central government employees face longer wait for 3% DA hike after Cabinet delay. Central government employees and pensioners may wait longer for a 3%…
- Keywords: central government employees, dearness allowance, da hike, pensioners, united cabinet, pay commission, 7th pay commission, 8th pay commission, business, money, news, hike
- Source: Financialexpress — https://financialexpress.com/money/da-hike-delayed-again-1-2-crore-employees-and-pensioners-face-longer-wait-4366365
- Author: Mithilesh Jha
- Published: 2026-10-21T13:11:04+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: central government employees, dearness allowance, da hike, pensioners, united cabinet, pay commission, 7th pay commission, 8th pay commission, business, money, news
## DA hike delayed
Central government employees and pensioners may have to wait longer for the expected 3% DA hike after the Union Cabinet meeting ends without a decision.
## 1.2 crore employees affected
About 1.2 crore central government employees and pensioners have been waiting for the July 2026 DA and Dearness Relief revision.
## Expected DA increase
The increase is expected to be 3 percentage points, taking DA from 60% to 63% of basic pay.
## No confirmed date
There is no confirmed date for the next Cabinet decision on the July 2026 DA revision.
## DA revision timeline
DA is generally revised twice a year, with changes taking effect from January 1 and July 1.
## Impact on employees
For an employee drawing basic pay of Rs 18,000, the monthly DA component would increase from Rs 10,800 to Rs 11,340.
## Next steps
The 8th Central Pay Commission will consult stakeholders including employee representatives on October 22 and 23.
## Key takeaway

Central government employees and pensioners may wait longer for a 3% Dearness Allowance increase, taking DA from 60% to 63% of basic pay.