In a major monetary relief for government employees and pensioners, the government has announced the payment of dearness allowance arrears that stood due. With such a move, one more salary and pension increment will be effective from the next quarter.
What Are DA Arrears?
It is said that Dearness Allowance is paid to Central and State Government employees and pensioners as per the cost of inflation. Being the cost of inflation, it is revised twice a year- in January and July. However, since the pandemic hit the world, certain allowable increments were deferred or frozen, and the latest announcement was about releasing those pending arrears which will be paid along with the regular salary or pension disbursement this month.
How Much Will Employees And Pensioners Get?
The calculation of arrears of DA depends on:
- The employee’s pay index and the length of service
- The pensioner’s last salary drawn until retirement
- Number of months during which DA was pending
Suppose that arrears of DA are to be given from Rs 11,000 to Rs 48,000 or more, depending upon the pay scale for employees and pensioners, while the summer DA hike will intravenously be about 4-5%, pushing total DA to more than 50% of basic pay.
Who Really Gains from It?
- Central government employees
- State government employees (where applicable and adopted)
- Railway employees
- Defence personnel
- Family and regular pensioners
Over 1 crore beneficiaries will be impacted, making it one of the biggest financial relief slabs offered recently to public-sector employees and retirees.
When Will the Arrears Be Paid?
According to official sources, the arrears shall be paid all at once within the July or August 2025 salary/pension payment, depending on department clearance and payroll processing. Government departments have been ordered to issue updated salary slips reflecting the approved changes.