DA news: Assam, West Bengal, Telangana, Sikkim, Kerala — Check full list of states with dearness allowance hikes in 2026
In line with the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) recommendations, the government hikes dearness allowance (DA) biannually using data from the All-India Consumer Price Index (AICPI). Over 1 crore beneficiaries, comprising about 50 lakh central government employees and nearly 65 lakh pensioners, including defence and railway personnel and retirees, gain from DA and Dearness Relief (DR) hikes.
DA is a percentage of employees‘ basic pay that aims to mitigate the impact of the rising cost of living and inflation. Notably, announcements from the Centre come in March and October, with rollouts in January and July. The last hike was announced in April this year, when the Finance Ministry increased DA from 58% to 60% of basic salary, effective from 1 January 2026.
Meanwhile, DA revision is also under discussion by the 8th CPC, which is expected to submit its final recommendations around 18 months after its constitution, by May 2027 at the latest.
DA hike announcements in 2026: See full list of states
Following the Finance Ministry’s announcement, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) announced revised DA and DR for workmen and officer employees across levels for the months of May, June and July 2026. It hiked basic salaries between ₹48,000 and ₹1,17,000 and DA from ₹435 to ₹1,050. Later, the Indian Railways also announced a 2% hike in DA and DR for staff and pensioners.
Here’s a look at the full list of DA hikes announced by states so far:
