Kozhikode: The Dearness Allowance (DA) payable to Central and State government employees may go up. There could be an increase of 4% from January to June this year to reflect the annual average of the National Consumer Price Index, which is used as the basis for estimating the DA.

The Central Government may announce the payment of the new 4% increase next month. There is no indication when the State Government employees in Kerala will receive it.

The National Consumer Price Index has risen from 361.75 points to 372.25 points. With this, the Central DA will rise by 42% and that of State employees by 22%.

Although Central Government employees have been getting in full the 38% DA which was in force till December 2023, any increase in DA has not been sanctioned for State Government employees for the past two years. They are receiving only 7% DA at present. The four instalments of DA (2%, 3%, 3%, 3%) payable from January 2021 to December last, are in arrears. With the impending increase, the DA arrears that the employees are entitled to receive will go up to 15%.

Except for the DA that was paid when the salary was revised prior to the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, the new State Government has not sanctioned any increase in DA for its employees.