DA Hike Latest News:Central government employees may soon see a small increase in their salaries. The Dearness Allowance (DA) is expected to go up by 2% after the Labour Bureau released the December 2025 data of the All India Consumer Price Index-Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW).
With this, DA is likely to rise from 58% to 60%.
Lakhs of employees are now waiting for the official announcement. The big question is: Will the government announce the DA hike before Holi on March 3, 2026?
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The Centre increases DA twice every year - for January and July. However, the announcement is usually made later.
Traditionally, the government tries to announce DA hikes close to major festivals like Holi or Diwali, but this does not always happen.
For example: In 2025, Holi was on March 14, but the DA hike was announced on March 28. The second DA hike of 2025 was announced on October 1, just days before Diwali on October 20.
Manjeet Singh Patel, national president of All India NPS Employees Federation (AINPSEF), told ET that the government may announce the DA hike ahead of Holi this year, though the official approval may come in April.
However, the final date will only be known once the government issues its official order.
DA is very important because it increases employees’ salaries even when their basic pay remains fixed under a pay commission.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
