DA Hike: A very big and happy news has come out for government employees even before the festive season begins. To provide relief to the employees during the rising inflation, the government has officially announced a steep increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) by 20 percent. This historic decision will result in a huge increase in the monthly salaries of lakhs of government employees, and the upcoming festivals will be celebrated with more enthusiasm.
Background of the decision
This important decision has been taken by the newly elected state government of West Bengal, and Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari announced this at a special program organized at the state police headquarters in Kolkata. The state government had promised this 20 percent DA increase in its first budget, which is now being implemented. With this decision, the total dearness allowance of government employees in the state will now go from 18 percent to 38 percent. DA Hike
October salary will be received in advance
The biggest feature of this decision is that this increase will be fully implemented from October 1, 2026. This year, the government has given a double gift to the employees on the occasion of the big festival of ‘Durga Puja’ falling in the month of October. The Chief Minister has ordered the Finance Secretary and the Finance Minister to deposit the salary paid on the last day of the month in the bank account of the employees as an ‘advance’ before the festival in October. This will be a financial boon for the employees as they will get the increased salary in the middle of October itself. DA Hike
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Gap with Pay Commission and the Center
During this announcement, the Chief Minister admitted that currently there is a huge 42 percent difference between the dearness allowance of the Central Government and the State Government. Although this gap cannot be bridged overnight, the government is committed to protecting the financial interests of the employees in a phased manner. Along with this, a special commission has been set up to provide the benefits of the 7th Pay Commission to the employees of the state soon, and the new pay scale will be implemented as soon as its report comes in the next few months, he also clarified. DA Hike
This 20 percent increase will be a lifeline for government employees trapped in the vicious cycle of inflation, especially for those in the police force who have been facing financial difficulties since the Corona era. There is no doubt that this increased salary amount, which will be deposited in the bank account on the eve of the festival, will create an atmosphere of happiness in the families of the employees. DA Hike