DA Arrears: The West Bengal state government has taken another step forward concerning the Dearness Allowance (DA) for its employees. The Finance Department has issued a directive to all state departments, requesting detailed information on the exact number of DA recipients. This move is considered highly significant, especially as the state begins preparations to disburse 25% of the outstanding DA arrears, following a directive from the Supreme Court of India.
The Finance Department has asked each department to separately provide the number of current employees eligible for DA and the number of retired employees who receive DA. It is understood that the final roadmap for clearing the DA arrears will be formulated based on this consolidated data.
According to government sources, there are over 250,000 employees across various state government departments. Additionally, there are approximately 380,000 school teachers and around 100,000 more employees working in Panchayats, Municipalities, Municipal Corporations, and government-aided autonomous bodies. In total, nearly 800,000 current employees could fall under the purview of this DA arrear payment. If retired government employees are included, this number could reach one million.
However, employees who joined government service after 2019 will not be eligible for this 25% DA arrear. Those employed since 2009 or earlier will benefit from the arrears accrued over this 10-year period. Employees appointed after 2009 will also receive DA benefits based on their respective periods of employment. Teachers who lost their jobs due to a court order will not receive this DA.
This initiative by the state government has brought a wave of optimism among employees. Various employee organizations have also been demanding the swift disbursal of these dues. As per the Supreme Court’s order, the state is required to pay this 25% of the outstanding DA within six weeks of the ruling. The Trinamool-affiliated state government employees’ federation is also hopeful that employees will receive these funds soon.
Key Highlights:
- The Finance Department has sought data on DA recipients from all departments.
- Preparations are underway to pay 25% of outstanding DA as per Supreme Court order.
- Nearly one million current and retired employees could benefit.
- Employees who joined after 2019 and teachers who lost their jobs due to court orders are excluded from this specific disbursal.
It is anticipated that the state government may make a further announcement regarding DA payments once this data collection process is complete. This is undoubtedly crucial news for West Bengal state government employees and pensioners.
