WB DA Notification: The much-awaited 4% Dearness Allowance (DA) hike announced in the West Bengal state budget has run into a major hurdle, with the Finance Department yet to issue an official notification. Despite the announcement made on February 5, 2026, stating that the hike would take effect from April 1, 2026, no official memo has been published as of April 9. This delay has sparked widespread resentment among state government employees and teachers, as it directly impacts their April salaries.
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Background of the 4% DA Hike
During the presentation of the interim budget on February 5, 2026, Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya announced a 4% increase in DA, which would raise the state DA rate from 18% to 22%. While Central Government employees are currently receiving DA at around 58%, state employees were expecting this slight relief. However, more than two months post-announcement, the absence of an official Government Order (GO) has stalled the implementation.
Practical Impact on Salary and Workflow
The delay has tangible consequences for the administrative workflow and the financial planning of the employees:
- Portal Deadlines: Headmasters are required to submit salary details via portals between the 2nd and 10th of every month.
- Old Rates Applied: Since no official order was available by April 9, most DDOs have had to process the April salary bills using the older 18% DA rate.
- Financial Delay: Consequently, the salary credited in the first week of May will likely not reflect the 4% hike. Employees will now have to wait for the official memo to claim this amount as arrears in subsequent months unless the portal is exceptionally reopened.
- HRMS Update: If the directive is still published and updated in HRMS, employees will receive the increased DA in their April salary.
Union Reactions and Election Warnings
Various employee unions have voiced their discontent. Chandan Maiti, General Secretary of the Advanced Society for Headmasters and Headmistresses, lamented that teachers are being deprived of benefits like the Health Scheme and DA despite executing all government duties.
Sujit Das, General Secretary of the All Bengal Teachers Association (ABTA), termed the two-month delay highly unfortunate. Meanwhile, Swapan Mandal, General Secretary of the Bengal Teachers and Employees Association, warned of political repercussions, noting that postal ballot voting is just seven days away and the unresolved DA issue could influence the polls.
Defending the state government, Pritam Kumar Halder, State President of the West Bengal Trinamool Secondary Teachers Association, explained that administrative officials are currently occupied with election duties, causing the procedural delay. He assured that the 4% hike would be credited soon.
