The State government has issued orders hiking the Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) from the exiting rate of 22% to 25%. The DA at the enhanced rate will be disbursed with the salary for the month of February 2026. The DR at the enhanced rate shall be disbursed with the pension for March, according to an order issued by the Finance department.
The February 4 DA order is applicable to State government employees, teachers, staff of aided schools, private colleges and polytechnics, full-time contingent employees and employees of local governments. The order on DR applies to State service pensioners, family pensioners, ex-gratia pensioners and ex-gratia family pensioners..
The order noted that the additional expenditure in respect of local governments will be met by them from their own funds.
The enhanced DA will also be applicable to part-time teachers and part-time contingent employees on the basis of pay drawn by them and also to re-employed pensioners.
The February 4 order will apply to State PSUs, statutory corporations, autonomous bodies, boards and grants-in-aid institutions subject to conditions: organisations that are already on the State pattern of DA/DR can release the enhanced rates to employees amd pensioners without referring to the government, but subject to a decision by their governing bodies and the ability of the organisations to meet the expense from their own resources. If the organisation cannot meet such expenses on its own, prior approval of the government is needed.
The order does not apply to those organisations (such as the KSEB and KSRTC) that have been instructed to issue separate DA/DR orders. Such organisations have been directed to following the existing practices, including securing the prior approval of the government, while sanctioning DA/DR.
Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal had announced in the 2026-27 State Budget that the government would address the issues plaguing the timely payment of DA and DR.
Published – February 09, 2026 04:56 pm IST
