Kolkata, 22 July (H.S.) : The West Bengal government has indicated that it is moving towards implementing the 7th Pay Commission within the current financial year, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari assuring state government employees that the gap between the state's dearness allowance (DA) and the Centre's rates will be narrowed in phases. He also said efforts are underway to clear pending DA arrears.

The announcement comes after the BJP government, which assumed office following the political change in the state, made employee welfare a key priority. In its first full Budget, Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta announced a 20 per cent increase in DA, marking one of the biggest revisions for state employees in recent years.

The Chief Minister said the government has already initiated the preliminary process for constituting the 7th Pay Commission. A notification has been issued, and the draft Terms of Reference (ToR) outlining the commission's mandate has been prepared. Once the ToR is finalized, the commission will be formally constituted and begin its work.

According to Adhikari, the government aims to operationalise the 7th Pay Commission within the current financial year. If the process remains on schedule, its recommendations could be implemented by March next year, bringing a major overhaul of the salary structure for state government employees.

On the issue of dearness allowance, the Chief Minister said state employees are currently receiving 38 per cent DA. However, he acknowledged that a gap still exists between the DA rates of the Centre and the state. He assured employees that this difference would be reduced gradually, rather than through a one-time revision.

Adhikari also reiterated the government's commitment to settling pending DA arrears within a defined timeframe, while emphasizing that the process would be carried out in a financially sustainable manner.

The announcements have raised expectations among state government employees, who have long been demanding parity in DA and the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission. If the proposed timeline is met, the state could witness a significant revision in employee pay and allowances by the end of the current financial cycle.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh