West Bengal to clear long-pending DA arrears: What government employees and pensioners should know

The West Bengal government has announced that it will begin clearing long-pending dearness allowance (DA) arrears for its employees and pensioners starting March 2026. The move is expected to benefit government staff, retired employees, teachers, and workers of grant-in-aid institutions across the state.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the payments will be made in accordance with notifications issued by the state finance department.

Who will receive the DA arrears

The arrears will cover several categories of employees and pensioners associated with the state government, including:

• State government employees
• Pensioners
• Teachers and non-teaching staff of educational institutions
• Employees and pensioners of grant-in-aid institutions
• Staff of local bodies such as panchayats and municipalities

The dues relate to the Revision of Pay and Allowances (ROPA) 2009, under which salary structures and allowances of state employees were revised.

When payments will begin

According to the state government, eligible beneficiaries will start receiving the arrears from March 2026. The payments will follow the modalities specified in the finance department’s official notifications.

Banerjee said in a post on X that the government had fulfilled its commitment to employees and pensioners and that the payments would begin as per the approved framework.

Supreme Court directive on DA arrears

The issue of pending DA payments had also reached the judiciary. A group of state government employees had approached the Supreme Court of India seeking clearance of the dues.

The court directed the state government to release 25% of the outstanding DA arrears by March 31, 2026, bringing partial relief to employees who had been seeking payment of the long-pending amount.

Announcement ahead of elections

The announcement came shortly before the expected declaration of dates for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The chief minister also announced an increase in the honorarium paid to purohits and muezzins, signalling additional welfare measures by the state government.

Why DA arrears matter for employees

Dearness allowance forms a key component of government salaries as it helps employees offset the impact of inflation. Delayed DA payments can significantly affect household finances, especially for pensioners and lower-income staff.

–With agencies inputs