Now Reading: West Bengal notifies 38% DA hike for employees before Puja
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West Bengal notifies 38% DA hike for employees before Puja
West Bengal has notified a 38% dearness allowance and dearness relief hike for state government employees and pensioners, effective from October 1, just ahead of Durga Puja. The notification, issued by the…
The Story in Brief
West Bengal has notified a 38% dearness allowance and dearness relief hike for state government employees and pensioners, effective from October 1, just ahead of Durga Puja. The notification, issued by the Finance Department, covers employees under the Sixth Pay Commission. Those under the Fifth Pay Commission will get DA at 223%, up from 171%. Daily-rated workers not covered by the Minimum Wages Act will get an ad hoc increase of Rs 110 per day.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reiterated the government's commitment to reducing the 42% DA gap with central employees. Administrative departments have been empowered to implement the hike without further Finance Department approval. The state has also constituted the Seventh State Pay Commission, with recommendations expected by FY27, as per PTI reports cited by both Times Now and Livemint.
The Indian Opinion
The grand narrative of West Bengal finally matching central DA rates ignores arithmetic. CM Adhikari himself said the 42% gap cannot be closed overnight. The real test is not the notification but the 7th Pay Commission's timeline and whether the state's finances, already strained, can sustain a second hike without stalling capital spending. How much will FY27's Budget actually allocate?
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
