DA Hike: Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the Nitish government has announced good news for state government employees and pensioners. In a major Diwali and Chhath gift, the Nitish government has decided to increase the Dearness Allowance by 3 percent.
State employees and pensioners will now receive 58% DA, up from the previous 55%. This increase, approved by the Bihar Cabinet, will directly increase the salaries of employees and pensioners.
This decision to increase DA will not only increase employees’ income but also provide relief for expenses during festivals like Diwali and Chhath. It is being said that this is also a step towards increasing the government’s popularity among employees and pensioners in this election year. Now, every employee and pensioner will see the increased DA in their bank account.
How much will the salary increase?
The dearness allowance given to employees is determined according to their basic salary. For example, if an employee’s basic salary is ₹60,000, they previously received ₹33,000 in dearness allowance based on 55% DA. However, after the new increase, their dearness allowance will now be ₹34,800 based on 58% DA. This means that the employee’s salary will increase by ₹1,800 each month.
| Basic Salary (Estimated) | 55% DA | DA 58% (after hike) | salary hike |
| Rs 60,000 | Rs 33,000 | Rs 34,800 | 1800 rupees |
Gift to central employees too
It should be noted that on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, also approved a proposal to increase the dearness allowance (DA) for central government employees and pensioners by 3% to 58%. This increased dearness allowance will be effective from July 1. This is an important step taken by the government ahead of Diwali. It is common for the government to announce dearness allowance increases around the festival season.
Odisha government also increased DA
The Odisha government recently announced a DA (Dearness Allowance) hike. Just before Diwali, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved a 2 percent increase in dearness allowance for state public sector undertaking (PSU) employees. With this increase, the total dearness allowance for PSU employees will increase from 53% to 55%, effective January 1, 2025.
