Bhubaneswar, April 18 -- In a significant relief for central government employees and pensioners, the Union Cabinet approved an increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR), Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday.

The move is expected to benefit nearly 50 lakh employees and 68 lakh pensioners across the country.

Addressing the media in Delhi, Vaishnaw described the decision as a very big step and extended his congratulations to all beneficiaries. He said the DA and DR have been increased by 2 percentage points, taking the total from the existing 58% to 60% of the basic pay. The revised rates will be effective from January 1, 2026.

According to the minister, the hike will have a financial implication of ap...