Bhubaneswar: In a good news for West Bengal government employees, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government on Thursday announced a three per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA).
The decision by the Mamata government has come months ahead of Assembly elections in the state. West Bengal is scheduled to hold Assembly polls in April/May next year.
Mamata Banerjee said the state’s coffers would never run dry for its employees, although it was yet to receive dues of Rs 85,000 crore from the Centre.
Banerjee, during her address to members of TMC- affiliated government employees’ association at the state secretariat, said dues payable by the Centre to Bengal had been mounting over a period of time under several heads — UGC grant, GST and funds for COVID-19 battle among others.
“We had not been receiving our financial dues. At least Rs 8,000 crore is due under GST. Despite financial constraints, we had met the recommendations of all previous pay commissions…