The central government has approved a 2% increase in dearness allowance (DA) for central government employees and dearness relief (DR) for pensioners, raising both from 58% to 60%. The revision will be effective from January 1, 2026 and will benefit approximately 5 million central government employees and 6.9 million pensioners.
The decision is estimated to impose an additional annual financial burden of about ₹6,791 crore on the government. The increase is aimed at offsetting the impact of inflation and maintaining the purchasing power of employees. Previously, in July 2025, DA was raised from 55% to 58%, with payments made along with arrears.
HDFC Bank reported its financial results for the fourth quarter of FY2025-26. The bank’s standalone net profit for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 rose 9% to ₹19,221 crore, compared with ₹17,616 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
The bank announced a final dividend of ₹13 per share for FY2026, with a record date of June 19, 2026. In addition, it had paid a special interim dividend of ₹2.5 per share in August 2025, taking the total dividend for the year to ₹15.5 per share.
Meta Platforms is planning to lay off approximately 8,000 employees in May 2026, according to reports. The layoffs are expected to begin around May 20 and would account for roughly 10% of the company’s global workforce.
The move follows earlier layoffs in 2022 and 2023 and is part of a broader restructuring effort. According to experts, the decision is aimed at reducing costs, improving operational efficiency, and increasing investment in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse. The company has not officially confirmed the final number of layoffs or the exact timeline.
In other developments, stock markets remained closed on Sunday. Petrol and diesel prices were unchanged, indicating continued stability in energy prices.
