West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, lower than an hour earlier than the announcement of Mannequin Code of Conduct within the state, has introduced Dearness Allowance or DA for hundreds of state authorities workers.
In a put up on X, Banerjee stated the state workers “will begin receiving their ROPA 2009 DA arrears from March 2026 onwards as per the modalities detailed out within the Notifications issued by our Finance Division”.
The Election Fee of India clarified right now that the Mannequin Code of Conduct has come into impact throughout all related states following its press convention asserting the meeting election schedules, together with for West Bengal, however any selections or bulletins made by state governments previous to this, together with Chief Minister Banerjee’s latest hike in month-to-month honorarium and associated DA or comparable benefits-are thought-about legitimate actions of the respective state authorities and never in violation of the code.
I’m glad to announce that our Ma-Mati-Manush authorities has delivered on its promise to all its workers and pensioners, and to lakhs of academics and non-teaching employees of our instructional establishments, in addition to workers/ pensioners of our different grant-in-aid instititions…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 15, 2026
The announcement comes amid an enormous face-off between the state authorities and its workers that has reached the Supreme Court docket. The federal government’s sudden capitulation is being seen as a transfer made with an eye fixed on elections. The BJP has already jeered about it, with the social gathering’s Chief of the Opposition within the state meeting, Suvendu Adhikari, calling it a “joke”.
In a put up on X, he stated, “After years of looting the state treasury and dishonest them blind, that is your determined last-minute ballot gimmick? Not a single paisa will really be launched. Zero accountability, zero funds, zero supply – solely empty notifications out of your Finance Division to idiot the Individuals one final time. Basic TMC election drama”.
What a JOKE !
Mamata Banerjee out of the blue remembers lakhs of workers, pensioners, academics and non-teaching employees simply MINUTES earlier than the Election Fee proclaims ballot dates?
ROPA 2009 DA arrears “from March 2026 onwards”? After years of looting the state treasury and… https://t.co/RIoiiP8Sgt
— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) March 15, 2026
Learn: Prime Court docket Reserves Verdict On Pleas Asking Bengal To Pay 25% Of Pending Dues
The staff had initially gone to the Calcutta Excessive Court docket searching for DA parity with Central authorities employees, together with arrears. The case was taken to the Supreme Court docket by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) and the Calcutta Excessive Court docket.
In Might 2022, when the excessive courtroom ordered the Bengal authorities to pay DA to state workers on par with the Central authorities, the state challenged this determination within the Supreme Court docket.
In Might final 12 months, the highest courtroom had ordered the West Bengal authorities to pay 25 per cent of the pending dues however the state couldn’t pay the workers throughout the six-week timeframe due to a monetary disaster, and sought one other six months’ time. There was no allocation for excellent DA within the state funds for the monetary 12 months 2025-26.
Learn: Supreme Court docket Orders Bengal To Pay 25% Of DA Pending Dues To State Authorities Workers
In September, the highest courtroom had reserved its verdict.
As the workers’ organisations, introduced a strike, the state authorities warned a no work, no pay possibility for the strikers.
At present, Bengal authorities workers get 18 per cent DA after the brand new 4 per cent is added to the prevailing 14 per cent as on April 1, 2025, resulting in widespread discontent amongst workers. Since July 2024, the Central Authorities employees obtain 50 per cent.
