By The Sampadak Express
In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the West Bengal government to pay 25% Dearness Allowance (DA) to state government employees within three months. The interim directive came from a bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta, with the next hearing scheduled for August.
The long-standing dispute originated when several West Bengal government employees approached the Calcutta High Court, demanding parity in DA with their central government counterparts, including arrears. In May 2022, the High Court ruled in favor of the employees, instructing the state to align its DA rates with those of the Centre.
Challenging this decision, the West Bengal government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court in November 2022. Despite incremental DA hikes by the state in recent years, the current DA stands at only 18% far below the central government’s 55%. The latest 4% hike was added on April 1, 2025, raising the total DA from 14% to 18%.
This gap of 37% has been a major source of dissatisfaction among over 10 lakh state employees and pensioners, who have consistently demanded better compensation in light of rising living costs.
Dearness Allowance, a critical cost-of-living adjustment, is provided to government employees and pensioners to mitigate the effects of inflation. It is calculated as a percentage of basic salary or pension and is periodically revised.
The Supreme Court’s directive is expected to bring temporary relief and renewed hope to the state’s workforce, even as the legal battle continues.
