Uttarakhand DA Hike: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has approved a 3 percentage-point increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees ahead of Diwali 2026.
With this decision, the DA rate will rise from 60 per cent to 63 per cent of basic salary, effective July 1, 2026.
The announcement brings financial relief to eligible employees working in state government departments, local bodies and educational institutions.
Employees will also receive the outstanding DA difference for four months, covering the period from July 1 to October 31, 2026, as cash arrears.
The decision brings Uttarakhand government employees’ DA rate in line with the recently revised allowance for central government employees.
Uttarakhand DA Hike: Who Will Benefit?
The 3 per cent DA increase will benefit eligible employees of the Uttarakhand state government. The coverage also extends to personnel working in several other institutions receiving government support.
These include employees of local bodies, aided educational institutions, state universities and technical educational institutions.
Eligible personnel drawing salaries under University Grants Commission (UGC) pay scales will also receive the revised allowance.
The approval was granted by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on November 5, 2026.
The decision follows the Centre’s announcement of a similar increase for employees covered under the Seventh Central Pay Commission.
 DA Increased from 60% to 63% from July 1
Under the revised arrangement, eligible employees will receive DA at 63 per cent of their basic salary instead of the earlier 60 per cent.
The increase is effective retrospectively from July 1, 2026.
This means employees will be entitled to the higher allowance for the period beginning July, even though the approval came in November.
For example, an employee with a basic salary of Rs 30,000 will receive Rs 18,900 as DA at the revised 63 per cent rate, compared with Rs 18,000 at the earlier rate.
This translates into an additional Rs 900 per month for an employee drawing a basic salary of Rs 30,000. The actual increase will depend on the employee’s basic pay.
 Four Months of DA Arrears to Be Paid in Cash
The Uttarakhand government has also approved payment of pending DA dues for the period between July 1 and October 31, 2026.
Eligible employees will receive the difference between the earlier and revised DA rates as cash arrears. This covers four months of outstanding payments.
The arrears will compensate employees for the period during which the revised allowance was applicable but had not yet been paid.
The decision is expected to provide additional financial support to government employees, particularly those who will receive both the increased monthly allowance and pending dues.
Why Uttarakhand Increased Dearness Allowance
The latest revision follows the Union government’s decision to increase DA for central government employees by three percentage points.
On October 28, 2026, the Union Cabinet approved an increase in DA from 60 per cent to 63 per cent, effective July 1, 2026.
The corresponding Dearness Relief increase was also approved for central government pensioners.
Press Information Bureau Uttarakhand has now approved the same DA rate for its eligible state employees.
Dearness Allowance is an additional component of government employees’ salaries intended to help them manage the impact of inflation and rising living costs. It is calculated as a percentage of basic pay.
Governments generally revise DA twice a year, with changes commonly taking effect from January and July.
The revisions are linked to changes in the cost of living, with the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers playing an important role in determining the allowance.
For Uttarakhand employees, the latest decision means a higher DA rate of 63 per cent and cash payment of four months’ arrears.
The revision also brings their allowance rate in line with the current central government DA rate.
