West Bengal raises DA and DR for state employees by 20 per cent
Total DA, DR of state government employees comes to 38 per cent of basic pay
The West Bengal government has announced a 20 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners, offering a major financial boost to lakhs of beneficiaries. The revised allowance will come into effect from October 1, 2026, taking the total DA and DR to 38 per cent of basic pay. The announcement was made during the presentation of the state's first full Budget by Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta in the Assembly.
The move is one of the biggest pay-related announcements made by the new government and is expected to provide relief to employees and pensioners amid rising living costs. It also significantly narrows the gap between the DA received by West Bengal government employees and their counterparts in the Central government.
Before this revision, the difference in DA between state and Central government employees stood at around 42 percentage points. With the latest hike, that gap has reduced to about 22 percentage points. However, a difference still remains because Central government employees are covered under the 7th Central Pay Commission, while most West Bengal employees continue to receive salaries based on the older 5th and 6th Pay Commission structures.
The DA announcement came alongside several other key measures unveiled in the Budget. The government said it plans to fill one lakh vacant government posts - a move aimed at strengthening public services while creating employment opportunities. It also confirmed that major welfare programmes launched by previous administrations will continue. Among them is the Annapurna Yojana, for which Rs. 36,000 crore has been allocated in the Budget.
The latest increase is also seen as part of the government's broader effort to address long-standing concerns over salary disparities among state employees. Employee organisations have repeatedly demanded higher DA and implementation of revised pay structures in line with the Centre.
Earlier this year, the West Bengal government approved the formation of the 7th State Pay Commission, which will recommend changes to salaries, pensions and allowances for state government employees, staff of educational institutions, government corporations, boards and aided bodies. The commission is expected to play a key role in reshaping the state's pay structure in the coming months.
According to employee representatives, discussions are also underway between the government and staff organisations on issues related to pay disparities and service conditions. The government has indicated that regular consultations with employee bodies will continue as it works towards implementing further reforms.
The 20 per cent DA hike is expected to provide immediate financial relief to government employees and pensioners while signalling the state's intent to gradually bridge the pay gap with Central government staff through future pay commission recommendations.
