WB DA Arrears: WB DA Arrears: Finance Department Issues SOP For Deceased Employees And Pensioners

WB DA Arrears: The West Bengal Finance Department has issued a comprehensive framework detailing the mechanism for the payment of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) arrears to the nominees or legal heirs of deceased state government employees and pensioners. Issued via Memorandum No. 75-F(Pen) on March 23, 2026, (Published on website on 2nd April 2026), the order outlines the process for disbursing the WB DA Arrears accrued between April 1, 2008, and December 31, 2019.

Background and Latest Update

This directive follows the Supreme Court of India’s landmark ruling on February 5, 2026, which mandated the state to clear the outstanding WB DA Arrears for the 2008-2019 period. Complying with the apex court’s order, the state government initiated a phased payment rollout in mid-March 2026 for existing and retired employees. The newly issued Memo No. 75-F(Pen) specifically addresses the payment settlement process for employees and pensioners who passed away before receiving their dues.

Application Modalities and Deadlines

To claim the WB DA Arrears, the nominee or legal heir must formally apply within 180 days from the date of the state government’s notification regarding the arrear payments.

• For DA Arrears: The application, complete with supporting documents and bank account details, must be submitted to the deceased employee’s Last Head of Office (HOO).
• For DR Arrears: Claimants must submit their applications directly to the concerned Pension Disbursing Authority.

Settlement of Dearness Relief (DR) for Pensioners

The procedure for disbursing DR arrears to the families of deceased pensioners varies based on nomination records:

• When Nominee Details are Available: The arrears will be paid to the nominee listed in the PPO copy or FORM-A at the Disbursing Authority’s end. If the treasury determines that the existing family pensioner and the documented nominee are the exact same individual, the Disbursing Authority can credit the DR arrears directly to the family pensioner’s bank account.
• When Nominee Details are Unavailable: If no nomination exists, the DR arrears will be disbursed to the legal heir(s) upon submission of valid supportive documents issued by a Competent Authority.

Disbursement Mechanism for Dearness Allowance (DA)

For deceased regular employees, the DA calculation relies on the timeframe of demise and the availability of an active HRMS ID:

• Expired between April 1, 2008, and December 31, 2015: The Pension Sanctioning Authority (PSA) or Last HOO must generate a specific HRMS ID for the deceased employee. After updating the relevant sections of the e-Service Book, the attached Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) will calculate the admissible arrears through the WBIFMS portal and transfer the funds to the claimant’s bank account.
• Expired after December 31, 2015 (With HRMS ID): The DDO will directly compute the admissible DA arrears via WBIFMS based on existing online records and disburse the amount to the eligible claimant.
• Expired after December 31, 2015 (Without HRMS ID): In cases where the employee lacked an HRMS ID due to reasons like deputation, the PSA must follow the pre-2016 modalities of generating a new ID and updating the e-Service Book before the DDO processes the payment.

Dedicated Support Channels

To facilitate a smooth claim process and resolve technical queries regarding the WB DA Arrears, the state government has established dedicated support channels:

• Helpline Number: 033-22535417
• Email Address: [email protected]

Verified by the WBPAY.in editorial team, comprising West Bengal government employees with over 10 years of hands-on WBIFMS and state finance administration experience.