Dearness Allowance: State Government’s Delay on Arrears, Sangrami Joutha Mancha’s Letter

Dearness Allowance: The Sangrami Joutha Mancha (SJM) submitted a letter to the Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary of West Bengal on June 30, 2025. The letter demands the immediate payment of 25% outstanding Dearness Allowance (DA) to state government employees, as directed by the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court’s Directive

• On May 16, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s verdict and ordered the West Bengal government to pay the 25% outstanding DA to all eligible government employees.

State Government’s Financial Hardship Argument

The state government has repeatedly cited financial constraints as the reason for delaying DA payments. However, both the Calcutta High Court and the State Administrative Tribunal have rejected this argument, stating that DA is a right of government employees. The Supreme Court also noted the dismissal of this financial hardship claim.

Sangrami Joutha Mancha’s Counter-Argument

The SJM argues that the state has sufficient funds. They cite instances where the government decided to pay Rs 25,000 and Rs 20,000 to Group C and Group D workers whose jobs were cancelled through the SSC, even though this was not mandated by the Supreme Court. Furthermore, employees at Banga Bhavan in New Delhi and a youth hostel in Chennai receive DA at central government rates, which contradicts the state’s claim of financial difficulty.

Call for Constitutional Adherence

The SJM has urged the Chief Secretary to act impartially, objectively, and in accordance with constitutional principles and legal obligations, rather than being influenced by external authorities. They emphasize that applying for an extension of time does not nullify the Supreme Court’s order.

Current Situation

The state government has applied to the Supreme Court for more time to implement the order. This indicates that the outstanding DA will not be paid immediately. This delay by the state government is causing growing resentment among government employees, who are being deprived of their rightful dues.