The Supreme Court has directed the West Bengal government to pay 25% Dearness Allowance (DA) to state employees within three months, according to Economic Times report.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta issued the interim order on Friday (May 16).
The case will be heard again in August.
The dispute began after state employees approached the Calcutta High Court in 2022, seeking DA parity with central government staff.
The High Court had ruled in their favour, asking the state to match central DA rates, Economic Times report said.
The West Bengal government challenged the decision in the Supreme Court in November 2022. Since then, it has raised DA in phases but continues to fall short of the Centre’s 55% rate. A 37% gap remains.
As of April 1, 2025, West Bengal employees receive 18% DA, up from 14%, following a recent 4% hike. Over 10 lakh employees and pensioners are affected.
The court’s directive comes amid growing discontent among state staff over pay disparity.
What is DA?
Dearness allowance is a cost-of-living adjustment provided to government employees and pensioners. It helps them cope with inflation and rising prices.
DA is calculated as a percentage of basic salary or pension and revised periodically.