Odisha announces 4% DA hike for govt employees and pensioners

Ahead of the general elections, Odisha government on Thursday announced 4 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for the state government employees.

This hike will benefit 4.5 lakh State government employees and 3.5 lakh pensioners.

The State Government announced release of 4% additional dose of Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (TI) in favour of the state government employees and pensioners respectively to enhance the rate from 46% to 50%

The enhanced DA and TI will be paid from 01.01.2024 retrospectively, an official release read.

Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet approved a 4 per cent hike in dearness allowance to 50 per cent of the basic pay, benefitting over one crore central government employees and pensioners.

The DA hike was effective from January 1, 2024. Besides the DA, the Centre also increased HRA for the employees.

Announcing the same, Union  Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said, “The DA hike will cost the exchequer Rs 12,868 crore.”

The Centre also increased dearness relief by 4 per cent.