India, Nov. 2 -- Ahead of the Diwali festivities, the Union government announced a 30-day ad hoc bonus for 2025-26 and a 3-percentage-point increase in dearness allowance (DA), taking it from 60% to 63% of basic pay, for its employees, even as their representatives say the bonus remains inadequate. The government retained a calculation ceiling of Rs.7,000 a month for the 11th consecutive year.

On October 15, the finance ministry's expenditure department sanctioned a non-productivity-linked bonus equivalent to 30 days' emoluments for eligible central government employees for the accounting year 2025-26. The maximum payout works out to Rs.6,908, based on the monthly calculation ceiling of Rs.7,000.

The bonus applies to Group C employees a...