From mint · Kirti Jha · · 1m 10s
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.
In brief
Central government employees and pensioners wait for July 2026 DA hike amid delay. Central government employees and pensioners face delayed 3% DA hike increase expected by Diwali. Originally reported by mint.
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.
The short version
Central government employees and pensioners face delayed 3% DA hike increase expected by Diwali.
