WB DA Case: The Dearness Allowance (DA) case concerning West Bengal state government employees has taken a new turn. Recently, the state government submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court, presenting its arguments regarding the DA issue. Mr. Malay Mukherjee, from the Confederation of State Government Employees, has dissected various aspects of this affidavit and clarified their position. Let’s delve into the crucial points of this case.
Background of the Case and the State Government’s Argument
In its affidavit, the state government questioned why the employees filed a case in 2016, even though DA had been provided since 2008. In response, the Confederation argued that while there was a DA disparity during the previous Left Front government’s tenure, it was within a tolerable limit. However, under the current Trinamool government, the disparity has become enormous, compelling them to seek legal recourse.
The state government has presented statistics of DA payments since 2008 in its affidavit, showing how the gap between the state and central government’s DA has progressively widened.
Statistical Analysis of the DA Gap
The video presented a comparative picture, which is detailed below:
- April 1, 2008: State government employees received 2% DA, while central government employees in Delhi and Chennai received 12%.
- April 1, 2010: At the end of the Left Front government’s term, both state and central DA were equal at 35%.
- After the Trinamool Government came to power:
- 2011: State DA was 45%, while Central DA was 65%.
- 2014: State DA was 58%, while Central DA was 100% (a 42% gap).
- 2016 (when the case was filed): State DA was 75%, while central government employees and those in Delhi and Chennai were receiving 125%. This significant gap forced the employees to file the case.
Misinterpretation of the Sixth Pay Commission?
The state government has claimed that 12 states do not pay DA at the central rate. According to the Confederation, this comparison is based on the Sixth Pay Commission, which is irrelevant as the West Bengal case is based on the Fifth Pay Commission. During that period, states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland were paying DA according to central government norms.
Mr. Mukherjee added that the states cited by the government (like Chhattisgarh, Karnataka) had much higher DA rates than West Bengal’s (18% at the time), a fact the state government omitted from its affidavit.
Next Steps
The Confederation of State Government Employees will soon submit its petition to the Supreme Court. They are preparing to present all facts and statistics in court after consulting with their lawyers, Mr. Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and Mr. Firdous Shamim. They have urged the employees not to worry and to have faith in them, expressing hope for justice in this case.
