Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared a 4% increase in dearness allowance (DA) for West Bengal government employees starting January 1, 2024.
The announcement, made at the Kolkata Christmas Carnival launch, addresses employee demands after nearly a year of protests. The enhancement will cost the state an additional ₹2,400 crore.
Mamata Banerjee emphasized that the DA provision is "optional" for states. The hike covers 14 lakh state government employees, school and university staff, and pensioners.