Sukhu’s Diwali Bonanza : Himachal Announces 5% DA Hike, ₹10,000 Arrears for Class IV Employees

In a festive relief for government employees and pensioners ahead of Diwali, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced a 5 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA), raising it from 45 per cent to 50 per cent.

The revised DA will be paid along with the October salary, due in November. The increase includes a 1 per cent hike effective from 1 July 2023 and another 4 per cent from 1 January 2024.

The Finance Department will separately announce the payment schedule for DA arrears covering the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2026.

The state government has also provided relief to its Class IV workforce. Regular Group D (Class IV) employees will receive ₹10,000 in cash in November towards pending arrears arising from the pay revision that came into effect on 1 January 2016.

The announcements address long-pending demands of state government employees and pensioners and come as a Diwali benefit for the workforce.

For comparison, Central Government employees currently receive 60 per cent DA.