The West Bengal government on Friday commenced the disbursement of pending dearness allowance (DA) arrears to retired state government employees, according to sources in the finance department. The payments currently cover arrears accumulated between April 2008 and December 2015.
Current Disbursement Status
As of now, the payments are being credited only to retired employees. Serving government employees have not yet started receiving the dues. Officials have stated that no timeline has been announced for the disbursement to serving staff.
Background and Upcoming Meeting
This development comes ahead of a crucial meeting scheduled for June 1 between Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and various government employees' organisations. The meeting is expected to address the pending dues and future payment schedules.
During a recent hearing, the Supreme Court sought an update from the state government on the clearance of arrears. The state requested additional time to complete the process.
The disbursement of DA arrears is a significant step towards fulfilling long-standing demands of retired employees, who have been awaiting these payments for years. The finance department is working to ensure that all eligible retirees receive their dues promptly.
