DA hike, Oct. 23 -- After the Union Cabinet meetings held on October 14 and 21 did not result in the much-awaited announcement of the dearness allowance hike, central government employees and pensioners are now awaiting the next meeting on 28 October for relief, according to reports.

Notably, the Centre on 16 October announced a non-performance-linked bonus for central government employees, with no word on DA or dearness relief (DR). DA and DR are percentages of employees' and pensioners' basic pay that aim to mitigate the impact of the rising cost of living and inflation.

Many employees and pensioners were expecting the Cabinet or Finance Ministry to announce the July 2026 DA hike ahead of Dussehra festivities earlier this week. This w...