Minutes before the Election Commission on Sunday announced the Assembly poll dates for West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced two big sops for the state in quick succession.
In a post on X, the chief minister said the government will pay the Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears to the employees as per the schedule set by the Supreme Court.
Last month, the top court had ordered the release of 25 per cent of DA arrears, pending from 2008 to 2019, to its employees by March 31, saying the “state must act as a model employer”.
Taking to X at 3.05 pm, nearly an hour before the EC’s scheduled press conference in New Delhi, the chief minister wrote, “I am happy to announce that our Ma-Mati-Manush government has delivered on its promise to all its employees and pensioners, and to lakhs of teachers and non-teaching staff of our educational institutions, as well as employees/ pensioners of our other grant-in-aid instititions like panchayats, municipal bodies, other local bodies etc. They will start receiving their ROPA (Revision of Pay and Allowances) 2009 DA arrears from March 2026 onwards as per the modalities detailed out in the notifications issued by our Finance Department.”
While the disbursement of pending DA arrears is likely to cost Rs 25 thousand crore to the government, the move is expected to benefit around 12 lakh current and retired employees, who had moved the courts, first the Calcutta High Court and then the Supreme Court, for their dues. Currently, a group of employees, under the banner of Sangrami Joutha Mancha, is on a dharna in Kolkata after the West Bengal government appealed to the Supreme Court to review its decision and seek an extension of the deadline for paying DA arrears to December 31, 2026, citing recent government expenditures like upcoming state Assembly elections, and the impact of GST rationalisation.
Before announcing the payment of DA arrears, the chief minister announced Rs 1,500 in monthly honorarium for purohits (Hindu priests) and muezzins (Muslim clergy).
Taking to X at 2.40 pm, the chief minister wrote, “I am pleased to announce an increase of Rs 500 in the monthly honorariums extended to our purohits and muezzins, whose service sustains the spiritual and social life of our communities. With this revision, they will now receive Rs 2,000 per month.”
She also announced that all fresh applications duly submitted by purohits and muezzins for honorarium have also been approved by her government.
“We take pride in nurturing an environment where every community and every tradition is valued and strengthened. Our endeavour remains to ensure that the custodians of our rich spiritual heritage receive the recognition and support they deserve,” she added.
The Mamata Banerjee government had introduced monthly allowance schemes for imams (Muslim clerics) and muezzins in 2012, a year after assuming state power, and followed it up with the announcement of financial assistance for Hindu purohits (priests) in 2020, a move the TMC said was aimed at supporting those engaged in religious and community services.
The CM’s back-to-back announcements, however, did not go down well with the Opposition BJP, which described them as a “gimmick”.
‘BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said the chief minister was “suddenly remembering” the state’s employees “just minutes before the Election Commission announces poll dates”.
“What a JOKE ! Mamata Banerjee suddenly remembers lakhs of employees, pensioners, teachers, and non-teaching staff just MINUTES before the Election Commission announces poll dates? ROPA 2009 DA arrears “from March 2026 onwards”? After years of looting the state treasury and cheating them blind, this is your desperate last-minute poll gimmick? Not a single paisa will actually be released. Zero accountability, zero funds, zero delivery – only empty notifications from your Finance Department to fool the People one last time. Classic TMC election drama. West Bengal is watching. This time the joke is on you, Mamata Banerjee…”
Speaking to The Indian Express, former state BJP chief Rahul Sinha said, “It is very clear that this government will no longer stay, and it is becoming clearer with such announcements. Therefore, the government, which will no longer stay in power, starts making such announcements; it will really not benefit anyone.”
Meanwhile, Bhaskar Ghosh of Sangrami Joutha Mancha, welcomed the government DA announcement and said it was a “result of sustained pressure created by the agitating state employees from a non-partisan platform”.
“This announcement proves, if one can fight properly for their demands and have patience on the law of the country, it will not be necessary to take any shelter under a particular political party,” he said, adding the CM made the announcement shortly ahead of the election “because our successful strike two days ago proved that we have gained widespread influence among the government employees, which carried ominous signals for the chief minister”.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, when Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was asked about Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s announcements shortly before the EC’s press meet, he said any move by governments before the announcement of polls is their prerogative. “The model code of conduct comes into effect after the announcement of polls and not before,” he added.