‘Can’t give more dearness allowance to employees’: Mamata Banerjee
On February 15, state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, who presented the 2023-24 budget in the assembly, said that the government will pay 3% additional DA to its employees
The West Bengal government cannot give more dearness allowance (DA) to its employees because of a cash crunch, chief minister Mamata Banerjee told the state legislative assembly on Monday.
CM Banerjee, while participating in a debate on the state budget, said: “It is not possible for our government to give any more DA. We don’t have the money. We have given an additional 3% DA. You may chop my head off if you are not happy with it. How much more do you need?”
The chief minister was addressing opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators who are supporting the ongoing state government employees’ demand for DA at par with central government employees.
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On February 15, state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, who presented the 2023-24 budget in the assembly, said that the government will pay 3% additional DA to its employees, including teachers and pensioners, from March. So far, the state has been giving 3% of the basic salary as DA.
The announcement came amid reports that the Centre may increase DA from the existing 38% to 42% of the basic salary of its employees and pensioners.
Various organisations of state government employees and school and college teachers have been carrying out agitations since January over the DA issue. The government employees have also threatened a cease-work on March 10 amid speculation that the government may take disciplinary action.
The main grievance of the employees is the huge disparity in DA rates for central and state government employees. The protest has been called despite the anti-strike notices of the state government.
The agitators held a cease-work on February 20 and 21 although finance secretary Manoj Pant issued a circular saying people skipping work on those two days would not be granted leave unless they were hospitalized or there was a death in the family.
Biswajit Mitra, one of the convenors of the movement, said the agitation will be held on March 10.