BIG Kerala DA Hike Update! Govt Raises Dearness Allowance By 10% To 35%

Kerala DA Hike: In a major boost for the state government employees, Kerala government, on Friday, announced to increase the cost-of-living support. Kerala government has raised DA to 35% of basic pay and increased dearness relief by 10 percentage points.

The new development will be applicable to all the Kerala state government employees and pensioners except those associated with the Kerala State Electricity Board and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.

According to the order issued on February 20, the revision covers a wide range of state-linked staff and pensioners, but KSEB and KSRTC personnel will continue under separate arrangements, with those organisations instructed to issue their own Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief instructions.

Kerala Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief Details

The state government has announced to increase the dearness allowance from 25% TO 35% of basic pay, which is equivalent to 10% of the rise.

Kerala DA Hike: Who Will Be Eligible For The Hike?

The Kerala DA hikeis applicable to regular employees, workers of local self-government institutions, teachers and non-teaching staff in aided schools, colleges and polytechnics, along with full-time contingent employees across Kerala.

Kerala DA Hike: When Will It Be Implemented?

The Kerala DA will be implemented in march salaries, according to a PTI report released on Friday. Full time contingent employees will also receive the benefit. Part-time teachers, part-time contingent employees and re-employed pensioners are also covered, with their Dearness Allowance calculated on the level of pay they are formally entitled to receive under existing rules.

Kerala Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief Rules

For retired personnel, the order sanctions a 10 percentage point rise in Dearness Relief for state service pensioners, family pensioners and ex-gratia beneficiaries. The enhanced Dearness Relief will be disbursed with the April pension, giving retired employees and their families a higher monthly payout.

Local bodies will not receive extra state funding for this revision. Each local self-government institution must handle the additional Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief burden from its own budget, with the order clearly stating that the financial responsibility rests with the respective institutions themselves.

A similar hike has been approved for Dearness Relief (DR) for state service, family, ex-gratia, and ex-gratia family pensioners. The enhanced amounts will be paid with the April pension. A separate order will be issued regarding DA and DR arrears, it added.The order added that local bodies must meet any additional expenditure arising from the DA and DR increase from their own funds.