DA Hike: Central Government Employees In THIS State To Get 18% DA from April 2025

The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has announced a 4% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state employees and pensioners, providing some relief ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. State Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya made the announcement during the Budget 2025 presentation, confirming that the DA will rise to 18% and take effect from April 1, 2025. The move is expected to benefit over 10 lakh state government employees and pensioners.

BJP's Criticism of the DA Hike

BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya launched a sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee, calling the DA hike a "complete sham." He accused the West Bengal government of lagging behind on pay reforms and pledged a major overhaul if the BJP comes to power.

"Mamata Banerjee's decision to announce a meager 4% DA increase for state employees is misleading," Malviya said. "The state government is still operating under the outdated 6th Pay Commission (implemented in 2019, despite being approved in 2008 and applied retrospectively from 2006), while the rest of the country has moved to the 7th Pay Commission (2016-17). The Central Government has even announced the 8th Pay Commission CPC (2026-27). This means West Bengal's government employees are being denied their rightful dues."

Malviya further claimed that this was Mamata Banerjee's "last budget" and that after the next elections, the BJP would take over and address the pay discrepancies. "This is the time for change in West Bengal, just as in Odisha and Delhi," he declared.

The DA hike and other budget measures are expected to be key issues in the upcoming elections. While the TMC government emphasizes its commitment to employee welfare and rural infrastructure, the BJP is positioning itself as the party that will fix long-standing pay disparities and introduce reforms.