The Tamil Nadu government under Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday (May 14, 2026) announced a 2% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for State government employees and teachers with retrospective effect from January 1, 2026. The decision would cost the exchequer an additional ₹1,230 crore, an official release said.

The increase in DA from 58% to 60% would benefit about 16 lakh State government employees, teachers, pensioners, and family pensioners, it said. “The Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led government has assured that people-oriented welfare programmes and government employees and teachers play a significant role in the designing and implementation of those programmes.”

Earlier in the day, Mr. Vijay chaired a meeting at the Secretariat, during which he reviewed the State’s finances. Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar and senior officials in the Finance Department were present at the meeting.