Dussehra has passed; Diwali is here—why isn't the Central Government increasing your DA?

Central government employees have long been awaiting an announcement regarding an increase in their Dearness Allowance (DA). Employees had hoped that the hike would be announced following Dussehra.

Amidst rising inflation, every working professional naturally desires a salary increase to help manage their expenses. Meanwhile, central government employees have been waiting for a long time for an upward revision of their Dearness Allowance (DA). Notably, Dussehra has already passed, and major festivals like Diwali and Chhath are approaching; yet, there has been no announcement regarding the DA hike for July 2026. Consequently, employees are left wondering: when exactly will the government implement this increase?

What could the hike be?

The crucial question is: what is the expected magnitude of the DA hike? Currently, the Dearness Allowance stands at 60 percent. It is estimated that the DA for July 2026 will see an increase of 3 to 4 percent. If the government grants approval, central government employees could see their DA rise to 63–64 percent.

A DA hike will bring relief

Importantly, while there is a delay in the DA hike, any increase eventually announced by the government will be effective retrospectively from July 1, 2026. This means employees could also receive arrears for the months of July, August, September, and October. The question remains: why has the DA hike not been announced yet—what is the reason behind this delay?

What is the reason?

During the festive season, employees had hoped that the Dearness Allowance hike would be announced alongside their bonuses. Following this, the Cabinet meeting did not take place on October 21, which led to a delay in the announcement. As of now, there is no official information regarding when the government will announce an increase in the Dearness Allowance (DA).

However, it is certain that if the government decides to raise the Dearness Allowance for central government employees by 3 percent, it would provide them with significant relief during the festive season.

When will the next meeting take place?

According to reports, the next Union Cabinet meeting—where an increase in the Dearness Allowance for central government employees could be discussed—is expected to be held tomorrow, Wednesday, October 28, 2026. That said, there has been no official confirmation from the government or the Ministry of Finance regarding the date of this meeting or the timing of any such announcement.