7th Pay Commission: West Bengal Government Announces Formation of 7th Pay Commission and DA Hike

7th Pay Commission: Bringing an end to the long wait of West Bengal government employees, a major announcement has been made in the state budget. With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya brought smiles to the faces of state employees during the presentation of the Vote-on-Account budget. The state government has officially announced the formation of the 7th Pay Commission, creating a wave of optimism across the administrative circles.

In addition to the Pay Commission, the state has also made a significant announcement regarding the Dearness Allowance (DA). Let’s take a closer look at the details of this announcement and its implications.

Official Announcement of the 7th Pay Commission

Accepting the long-standing demands of state government employees, the state government has finally moved towards forming a new pay commission. On Thursday, while presenting the budget in the Assembly, Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya made this crucial declaration.

In her budget speech, the Minister stated that she is pleased to announce the formation of the 7th Pay Commission for state government employees. This newly formed commission will review and recommend the future salary structure, various allowances, and other benefits for all state government employees. The primary task of this commission will be to align the salary structure with the employees’ standard of living and current market rates.

4% DA Hike and Effective Date

Alongside the Pay Commission, to provide immediate relief to employees in the current economic situation, a DA hike has also been announced. The Mamata Banerjee-led government has declared an additional 4% increase in DA for state government employees.

• Hike Percentage: 4% of the basic pay.
• Effective Date: This increased DA will come into effect from April 1st.

This means that government employees will receive the increased Dearness Allowance from the beginning of the new financial year. This move is expected to help mitigate some of the discontent among employees before the elections.

Context and History of the Pay Commission

Although there is no strict legal rule, it is a common practice for both the Central and State governments to constitute a new Pay Commission typically every 10 years. Government employees have been vocal for a long time regarding demands for revisions in basic pay, grade pay, and allowance structures.

In West Bengal, the last pay commission was formed after Mamata Banerjee came to power for her first term.

• 6th Pay Commission: Formed on November 27, 2015.
• Time Gap: The announcement of the 7th Commission comes as nearly ten years have passed since the formation of the 6th Commission.

According to political analysts, this announcement prior to the Assembly elections is highly significant. A section of government employee unions had already anticipated such a major announcement in the budget. Validating those speculations, the state government has taken this populist decision. It is expected that lakhs of government employees in the state will benefit from this move.