Bihar Cabinet hikes 3% DA for employees, pensioners

Bihar Cabinet on Tuesday (November 10, 2026) approved a 3% increase in the dearness allowance (DA) for its employees, pensioners and family pensioners getting revised salary or pension as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

The decision would provide relief to the common people during the festive season of Chhath.

“The Cabinet has taken a decision to increase DA by 3% three per cent from the existing 60% to 63%. It will be payable with effect from July 01, 2026. The hiked DA will be payable to government employees, pensioners and family pensioners getting revised salary or pension as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations,” Cabinet Secretariat Department’s Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Arvind Kumar Chaudhary told reporters here in a post cabinet briefing.

Similarly, DA has also been hiked by 7% (from 262% to 269%) and 14% (from 483% to 497%) for drawing salary/pension under the 6th Central Pay Scale and the 5th Central Pay Scale, Mr. Chaudhary said, adding that the hiked DA payable with effect from July 01, 2026.

In reply to a query, ACS said that the decision would put additional burden of ₹1,080.33 crore to the State’s exchequer. He, however, said that the amount for 6th and 5th pay scale people is minuscule.

A total of 32 decisions were approved by the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to “Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge Scheme”. It will be launched to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup culture among female students enrolled in higher educational institutions and to help transform their innovative ideas into viable business ventures.

Under the scheme, a maximum of 2,100 female students may be provided benefits beginning from the current financial year. The scheme shall be implemented over a period of four financial years, from 2026-27 to 2029-30. A sum of ₹88.20 crore has been approved for the purpose.

In order to encourage the participation of female students in the fields of higher education and research, the Cabinet approved “Chief Minister’s Girls’ Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme”. The scheme will be implemented over four financial years, from 2026–27 to 2029–30. A sum of ₹126 crore has been approved for the purpose.

The launch of the “Chief Minister’s Girls’ Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme” is expected to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of women in higher education and enable female students to avail themselves of the benefits of higher education

The Cabinet also gave its nod for a comprehensive “Bihar Canal Maintenance Policy, 2026.”

The implementation of this policy will increase the State’s irrigation potential and agricultural productivity, ultimately leading to an improvement in farmers’ income.

It also approved a consolidated amount of ₹2,247.53 crore from the Bihar Contingency Fund towards meeting various necessary payments, including outstanding liabilities relating to vehicles deployed for election duties.