Kerala govt approves DA, DR hike for employees, pensioners from September

The move is expected to add about Rs 2000 crore to the state's annual spending.

The Kerala government has approved another instalment of dearness allowance (DA) for state employees and teachers and dearness relief (DR) for pensioners, Finance Minister K N Balagopal announced on Saturday.

Employees under the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and those in medical services will also be covered, the minister said in a statement as reported by news agency PTI. The revised payments will come into effect with salaries and pensions due from September 1.

The move is expected to add nearly Rs 2,000 crore to the state’s annual expenditure. “This reflects the government’s commitment to employees and pensioners,” Balagopal said, noting that this was the second instalment cleared this year.

He added that two instalments were also granted last year, and stressed that the state had honoured its pay revision commitments even amid financial strain during the Covid years. “This reflects the government’s commitment to employees and pensioners,” he said, pointing out that DA benefits had been provided in cash from the beginning of the 2021-22 financial year.