Union Cabinet approves ₹10,000 crore dearness allowance hike for government employees

The Union Cabinet has cleared a dearness allowance (DA) increase for central government employees, with an estimated outlay of about ₹10,000 crore. The move is aimed at offsetting the impact of inflation on the earnings of government staff. The decision was announced ahead of the Diwali festival, which is why it has been widely described as a festive gift. The DA revision is expected to benefit a large number of serving employees and pensioners. Further implementation details are expected to follow in official notifications.