Kolkata, 22 July (H.S.): West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said the gap in Dearness Allowance (DA) between the state and Central governments would be reduced gradually, while the pending DA dues of state government employees would also be cleared in a phased manner.

Speaking at a programme held at Vidyut Bhavan in Kolkata, the Chief Minister said the government had taken a considered decision on the DA issue after evaluating all financial aspects.

He noted that there had been speculation over the quantum of the DA hike, with some expecting the state government to grant 42 per cent DA in line with the Centre, while others had predicted a 10 per cent increase. The government has done neither. The decision has been taken after carefully assessing all relevant factors, he said.

Assuring government employees, Adhikari said the remaining DA would also be adjusted over time and asked them not to worry, reiterating the government's commitment to narrowing the gap with the Centre in a phased manner.

The Chief Minister also announced that the DA declared for the festive month would be credited directly to the bank accounts of government employees. He further said that the state government had constituted the Seventh Pay Commission, which would play a key role in reviewing future salary and allowance-related matters.

Adhikari's remarks have reignited discussion over the long-pending DA issue among state government employees. However, he did not specify any timeline for when the gap between the Centre's and the state's DA rates would be completely eliminated.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh