DA Hike News: Big news for central government employees and pensioners. Last week, the central government sanctioned a 2% increase in the dearness allowance (DA). As a result, the DA has risen from 58% to 60%. Following the cabinet’s approval on April 18, 2026, and the office memorandum released on April 22, 2026, it has become evident that millions of employees and pensioners will gain from this increase. Estimates suggest that approximately 50.46 lakh employees and 68.27 lakh pensioners will benefit from this change.
However, following the announcement of the DA hike, the primary question remains, when will the enhanced salary be disbursed, and when will the arrears for this hike, which took effect in January, be paid out? When will the increased salary be issued? On this matter, Manjeet Patel, the National President of the All India NPS Employees Federation (AINPSEF), has provided some clarity. He stated that the process for April’s salary has already commenced, making it unlikely that the increased DA will be included in this month’s salary.
He mentioned, “The process for the April salary has already started, so the chances of receiving the increased DA this month are quite slim. Employees will receive the increased DA in their May salary, along with the arrears for January, February, March, and April.”
Arrears will be given for four months together
This means that employees could receive four months’ arrears at once, resulting in a substantial amount in their accounts. This arrears will be based on the increase effective January 2026. Regarding salary payments, government employees typically receive their salaries for the month of May around May 31st or June 1st. However, salary dates may vary slightly between departments.
Overall, employees will have to wait a bit longer, but they will receive the increased salary and arrears by the end of May or early June. This will certainly provide some relief in times of inflation.
Experts suggest that the current delay is not a result of any policy shifts, but instead stems from administrative processes and paperwork. The announcement may have taken a bit longer due to the preparations for establishing the Eighth Pay Commission and the necessary administrative coordination.
In a separate post, Manjeet Singh Patel called on the government to be generous regarding the arrears from the 2020-21 financial year. The dearness allowance (DA) for central employees was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his message, Patel mentioned, “On April 15th, the Finance Ministry explained the reasons for denying the payment of 18 months of DA arrears for 2020-21 in a letter to the CDRA. I believe the government should make a courageous and generous decision in this regard. Additionally, the government ought to address this by raising the fitment factor through the 8th CPC, ensuring that a positive message is conveyed to the entire nation.”
