Bhuvneshwar: In a move aimed at bringing festive cheer to state government employees and pensioners, the Odisha government has announced a four percent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR). This enhancement raises the DA rate for government employees and DR for pensioners from 42 percent to 46 percent. Notably, the increased DA and DR will be paid retrospectively from July 1, 2023.
The decision, announced by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday, will be a welcome relief for approximately 4.5 lakh state government employees and 3.5 lakh pensioners in Odisha. The move is expected to significantly boost their finances, especially as it comes ahead of the festive season.
This development follows a similar decision taken by the Union Cabinet, which increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) for central government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for central government pensioners by four percent on October 18, 2023. Union Cabinet's Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur conveyed this decision to the media and clarified that the DA hike would be implemented from July 1, 2023. This increase raises the central government DA to 46 percent from the previous 42 percent. Importantly, it will be effective from July 1, 2023, resulting in employees receiving arrears from July to October.
Overall, these proactive steps by both the Odisha and central governments aim to provide financial relief to government employees and pensioners and ensure their well-being during the upcoming festive season. This move is aligned with similar decisions made by other states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Haryana, which have also announced a four percent hike in dearness allowance for state government employees following the seventh pay commission structure.
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