September 2026 Salary, Wages and Pension May Be Paid on 25 September Ahead of Bank Strike

New Delhi, September 23, 2026: The Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, has issued instructions regarding the advance disbursement of salary, wages and pension for September 2026 in view of the proposed three-day nationwide bank strike scheduled from 28 September to 30 September 2026.

As the bank strike period coincides with the closing days of the month and the quarter, the Government has permitted advance payment arrangements to avoid possible disruption in banking transactions.

September 2026 Salary May Be Paid on 25 September

As per the Office Memorandum dated 23 September 2026, the salary for September 2026 of Central Government employees may be drawn and disbursed on 25 September 2026 (Friday).

The instructions specifically cover Central Government offices, including:

Central Government employees Defence personnel Postal employees Telecommunications employees Other Central Government establishments

Therefore, Central Government employees under the Department of Posts are also covered by these instructions.

Pension for September 2026 May Also Be Disbursed Early

The CGA has also stated that the September 2026 pension of Central Government pensioners may be disbursed by Banks/PAOs on 25 September 2026.

This provision is intended to ensure that pension payments are not affected by the proposed bank strike at the end of September.

September Wages of Industrial Employees

The September 2026 wages of industrial employees of the Central Government may also be disbursed in advance on 25 September 2026.

Advance Payment Will Be Subject to Adjustment

An important point in the Office Memorandum is that the salary, wages and pension paid in advance will be treated as advance payments.

After the full month's salary, wages or pension entitlement is determined, any necessary adjustment will be made. The OM specifically states that such adjustment, if any, will be made from the salary/wages for October 2026.

Therefore, the advance payment should not be interpreted as an additional payment or an extra month's salary.

Other Banking Transactions May Also Be Processed in Advance

The CGA has further advised that, since the proposed strike coincides with the closing days of the current quarter, payments and other banking transactions scheduled towards the end of September 2026 may also be processed in advance wherever feasible.

This is intended to minimise delays and disruption arising from the strike.

RBI Asked to Inform Paying Branches

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been requested to bring these instructions to the notice of all paying branches of banks for necessary action.

Important Dates Particular Date CGA Office Memorandum 23 September 2026 Advance September salary/wages/pension 25 September 2026 (Friday) Proposed nationwide bank strike 28–30 September 2026 Possible adjustment, if any October 2026 salary/wages What Central Government Employees Should Know

The Office Memorandum permits advance disbursement on 25 September 2026; it does not state that every employee's salary must necessarily be credited on that date. The actual timing of credit will depend on the drawal and disbursement process followed by the concerned Ministry/Department, PAO and banking arrangements.

For employees of the Department of Posts, the OM specifically includes Posts & Telecommunications, making the instruction particularly relevant to Postal employees.

Official Reference

Office Memorandum No.: F. No. 03002(2)/1/2020/TA-II/(e-3001) Date: 23 September 2026 Issued by: Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure Subject: Disbursement of salary/wages/pension to Central Government employees and pensioners for September 2026 on account of three days nationwide bank strike from 28.09.2026 to 30.09.2026.