The state government has approved dearness allowance (DA) payment for government staff and teachers and dearness relief (DR) payment for military pensioners, Finance Minister KN Balagopal said in a press release published Wednesday. The benefits of increased DA/DR will be available in UGC, AICTE, medical services and all sectors. The state government’s annual expenditure will increase by Rs 2,000 crore. The DA/DR sanctioned by the government will be disbursed along with the next month’s salary and pension.

Previously, a tranche of DA and DR had been allocated in April. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the assembly that two installments of DA/DR would be sanctioned for government staff and pensioners from this year. KN Balagopal said that despite financial difficulties during the Covid period, the government has implemented better salary reforms. Benefits such as DA were given in the form of money at the start of the 2021-22 financial year. The minister blamed the delay in the distribution of staff benefits on unfavorable regulatory measures imposed by the centre. He said the government had an obligation to pay staff and retiree benefits.

In the budget speech 2024-25, it was announced that a payment of DA/DR along with salary/pension for the month of April 2024 would be sanctioned. The government issued an order in March 2024 increasing the rates of DA payable to state government employees, teachers, staff of aided schools, private colleges and polytechnics, full-time casual employees and employees local government and DR payable to public service retirees. family pensioners, free pensioners/free family pensioners from 7 percent to 9 percent.