10% Interest on HRA and DA Arrears: Unity Forum’s New Demand Shakes West Bengal

DA Arrears: In a video message from Debaprasad Halder, the convener of ‘Unity Forum’, the demands regarding pending Dearness Allowance (DA) and other allowances for West Bengal government employees have once again come to the forefront. In this video, he clarifies why and on what basis the government employees are being deprived of their rights and what their demands are. Through this post, let’s explore the key demands of ‘Unity Forum’ and the reasoning behind them in detail.

Arrears and Their Amount

One of the primary demands of ‘Unity Forum’ is the payment of a substantial amount of arrears under two different ROPA (Revision of Pay and Allowances) rules.

• 27 Months of Arrears: According to the forum, arrears for a total of 27 months, from January 1, 2006, to April 30, 2008, have not been paid to them. They allege that this money has been unfairly withheld under ROPA 9. Debaprasad Halder has emphasized that no constitutional government can forfeit this amount.
• 48 Months of Arrears: In addition to this, a demand has also been made for the payment of 48 months of arrears under ROPA 19, covering the period from January 1, 2016, to January 31, 2019.

This huge amount of arrears has become a significant financial burden for the state government employees, which is their rightful due.

Demand for Interest and Full Allowances

Not just the payment of arrears, ‘Unity Forum’ has put forward some other crucial demands that are vital for the financial security of the employees.

• 10% Annual Interest: The forum has demanded that an annual interest of 10% must be paid on all outstanding dues. They believe this demand for interest is justified as compensation, given that the money was not paid on time.
• Full Allowances: Their demand is not limited to just the Basic Pay. Along with it, House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance, Dearness Allowance (DA), and all other allowances must be fully paid from January 1, 2006, until the date of realization.

Allegations of Discrimination

In his speech, Debaprasad Halder has highlighted a critical issue: discrimination. He stated that if the employees at ‘Banga Bhavan’ can receive allowances at Central Government rates, then why should the state government employees in West Bengal be deprived of the same benefit? ‘Unity Forum’ has raised its voice to eliminate this discrimination and to ensure equal rights for all employees.

Through this video message, ‘Unity Forum’ has clearly conveyed its demands to the West Bengal government. Now, it remains to be seen what steps the government will take on this matter and when the state government employees will get their rightful dues back. ‘Unity Forum’ has called upon all employees to remain united in this fight.