New Delhi, Sept. 15 -- Central government employees and pensioners are expecting a second dearness allowance hike announcement during the festive season this year. There was hope earlier that a DA hike would come in July, amid rising inflationary pressures.

DA and dearness relief (DR) are a component of basic pay, given to employees and pensioners respectively, with aim to offset cost of living expenses on households. It is reviewed twice annually, with new announcements made in March and October, followed by rollouts in January and July.

There was hope that a hike would come in July following monthly data release from the Labour Bureau's All-India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers. It measures inflation by tracking fluctuatio...