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Minutes before poll dates, Mamata unveils DA relief and clergy hike
In a pivotal move ahead of the Election Commission’s announcement, West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unveiled a series of reforms, including the long-awaited clearance of DA arrears for state employees, set to begin in March 2026.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister on Sunday made two crucial announcements in quick succession -- clearance of of its employees and hike in honorarium of -- barely minutes ahead of the scheduled announcement of the assembly polls.
While Banerjee took to X to announce the for Hindu and Muslim clergy at 2.40 pm, 80 minutes ahead of the scheduled Election Commission press conference to announce poll schedules in five states at 4 pm, she made the DA arrear disbursement announcement at 3.05 pm, 55 minutes prior to the EC event.
The chief minister's first announcement confirmed an increase of Rs 500 in the monthly honorarium for purohits and muezzins across Bengal, with the beneficiaries now scheduled to receive Rs 2,000 per month post the revision.Addressing state government employees and pensioners, including teachers, non-teaching staffers, and workers of grant-in-aid institutions shortly afterwards, Banerjee said the DA arrear clearance will take place from March this year.
"They will start receiving their ROPA 2009 DA arrears from March 2026 onwards as per the modalities detailed out in the notifications issued by our finance department," Banerjee said in her post on X.
The arrears relate to the Revision of Pay and Allowances (ROPA) 2009, a long-standing demand of government employees and pensioners, covering salaries and allowances of teachers, municipal and panchayat staffers, and other grant-in-aid institutions.
A section of state government employees had moved tribunals, Calcutta High Court and, finally, the Supreme Court on the contentious issue, demanding clearance of DA dues.The top court order, directing the release of 25 per cent of DA arrears to its employees by March 31, 2026, covered DA arrears from 2009 to 2019 and is expected to benefit around 12 lakh current and retired employees.
However, despite the ruling, a 40 per cent DA gap persists between state and central government employees.
It is estimated that the disbursement would cost the state exchequer a sum of around Rs 25,000 crore.
A section of state government employees had moved the Supreme Court on the contentious issue, demanding clearance of DA dues. The top court ordered the release of 25 per cent of DA arrears to its employees by March 31, 2026.
Alleging dilly-dally on the part of the state, a platform of agitating government employees, the Sangrami Joutha Mancha, held a day-long cease-work agitation on March 13 to press the TMC administration for payment of DA arrears in accordance with the apex court orders.
Forum leader Bhaskar Ghosh called the announcement a "result of sustained pressure created by the agitating state employees from a non-partisan platform".
"The CM never showed a positive will to listen to our demands in the last three years. She made this announcement shortly ahead of the election announcement 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," he said.
Calling Banerjee's DA announcement a "joke" and a "classic TMC election drama", BJP leader Suvendu hit out at the TMC supremo for "suddenly remembering" the state's employees "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?" Adhikari said on X.
"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," he 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 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.
"I am pleased to announce an increase of Rs 500 in the monthly honorarium 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 said in her Sunday's X post.
The chief minister said the state government has approved all fresh applications submitted by purohits and muezzins for the honorarium.
"At the same time, all fresh applications that have been duly submitted by purohits and muezzins have also been approved by the state government," Banerjee said.
Highlighting the government's stance on religious harmony and support for traditional institutions, she added, "We take pride in nurturing an environment where every community and 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."
Asked about Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's announcements made shortly before the Election Commission's poll schedule, CEC Gyanesh Kumar said any move by governments prior to 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.
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Source: EconomicTimes
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