Central government raises DA and DR to 63%, effective July 1
Dearness Allowance for central employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners have risen from 60% to 63% of basic pay or pension.
AI-generated illustration representing the DA and DR increase for central employees and pensioners; it does not depict the actual Cabinet meeting or real beneficiaries. Image: OpenAI / MyNilgiris.
The three-percentage-point increase takes DA and DR to 63% of basic pay or basic pension.
On 28 October 2026, the Union Cabinet approved an additional three-percentage-point increase in Dearness Allowance for central government employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners. The rate rises from 60% to 63%.
The revision takes effect from 1 July 2026. The government says it will benefit about 48.54 lakh central government employees and 68.71 lakh pensioners. The estimated combined annual cost is ₹10,016.10 crore.
- New rate: 63% of basic pay or pension
- Previous rate: 60%
- Effective date: 1 July 2026
- Beneficiaries: 48.54 lakh employees and 68.71 lakh pensioners
Image disclosure: This is a symbolic illustration generated with OpenAI. It does not depict the actual Cabinet meeting or real beneficiaries. Image: OpenAI / MyNilgiris.
Sources
- Press Information Bureau, 28 October 2026, 3:50 p.m. IST
- Business Standard, 28 October 2026, 3:32 p.m. IST
- The Indian Express, 28 October 2026, 5:38 p.m. IST
