KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Wednesday announced a 4% increase in dearness allowance (DA) for its employees from April 1 in the budget presented by state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.The state budget for 2025-26, pegged at `3.89 lakh crore, puts a major focus on social welfare, rural growth and infrastructure. The government has allocated funds for rural connectivity, river erosion control, and agrarian support.Opposition parties claimed that DA was hiked keeping an eye on Assembly elections due in 2026. Bhattacharya said, “With this 4 per cent increase in DA, we are reaffirming our commitment to the welfare of our employees.” The hike would bring the total DA to 18 per cent for employees, providing them relief amid rising inflation. The total DA for employees and pensioners in the state will now stand at 42 per cent of their basic pay or pension.Bhattacharya said West Bengal’s Gross State Domestic Product had grown by 6.8 per cent in 2024-25 against the country’s overall growth rate of 6.37 per cent. She emphasised that the state’s economy has shown “resilience” across all three sectors—agriculture, industry, and services—surpassing national figures.
Source link
