West Bengal DA: How Much is the State Really Spending? RTI Filed Seeking Full Financial Disclosure

West Bengal DA: In a significant move to bring transparency to the state’s expenditure on Dearness Allowance (DA), Palash Dutta, the convener of Unity Forum, has filed a Right to Information (RTI) application with the West Bengal Finance Department. Submitted on June 26, 2025, the application seeks detailed data related to the DA hike that was made effective from April 2025.

This initiative adds a crucial new dimension to the long-standing debate over DA for state government employees and pensioners in West Bengal. Observers believe that this RTI could bring much-needed clarity regarding the state government’s financial commitments and transparency on the matter.

What Information Was Requested in the RTI?

Palash Dutta, a primary school teacher from Durgapur, has raised five specific questions in his application. These queries are based on the Finance Department’s Memorandum No. 1135-F(P2), dated 04.03.2025, which announced the implementation of the DA from April 1, 2025.

The information sought includes:

• Category-wise Beneficiaries: The exact number of employees and pensioners under each category (e.g., State Government employees, staff of government-aided educational institutions, statutory bodies, panchayats, municipalities, etc.) who are covered by the enhanced DA.
• Total Number of Beneficiaries: The consolidated total number of individuals benefiting from this DA enhancement across all categories.
• Expenditure per Category: A detailed breakdown, in monetary terms, of the exact amount the government is spending on DA for each specific category.
• Total Annual Expenditure: The total estimated financial outlay for Dearness Allowance for the entire fiscal year 2025-26.
• Basis of DA Calculation: Perhaps the most critical question, this seeks to understand the precise basis or formula upon which the state government has calculated and determined the current rate of Dearness Allowance.

Why is This RTI Significant?

State government employees in West Bengal have been demanding DA at par with their central government counterparts for years. While the state government has announced periodic hikes, a significant gap remains. The answers to this RTI application are crucial for several reasons:

• Transparency: It will provide a clear and official picture of how much the state exchequer is actually spending on DA.
• Data-Driven Discourse: The information will serve as a factual foundation for all future discussions, negotiations, and demands related to DA.
• Financial Planning: It will offer insights into the state’s financial capacity and its ability to accommodate further DA increases in the future.

According to the Right to Information Act, 2005, the State Finance Department is obligated to respond to the application within 30 days. Millions of state employees, pensioners, and citizens are now eagerly awaiting the government’s response, which will undoubtedly steer the conversation around balancing state finances and employee welfare in a new direction.