West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said her government will begin clearing pending dearness allowance (DA) arrears of state employees and pensioners from March this year. The decision will cover teachers, non-teaching staff and workers of grant-in-aid institutions.
"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," Banerjee said in a post on X.
"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," she added.
The BJP, however, termed Mamata Banerjee's announcement a "poll gimmick" and claimed that no money would actually be released.
"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," BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said.
In a separate post, the Chief Minister also announced an increase in the monthly honorarium for priests and muezzins in West Bengal just hours before the Election Commission of India is scheduled to announce the dates for Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory of Puducherry.
The announcements came ahead of the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, which comes into effect once the poll schedule is declared.
The poll panel, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and also comprising Election Commissioner Sukbir Singh Sandhu and Elections Commissioner Vivek Joshi, will announce the schedule for the much-anticipated Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry in a press conference in New Delhi at 4 pm today.
Taking to X, Mamata Banerjee said the state government has decided to increase the monthly honorarium given to priests (purohits) and muezzins by Rs 500.
"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," the Trinamool supremo said in her post.
With the revision, the monthly payment for both groups will increase to Rs 2,000. The chief minister also said that all new applications submitted by priests and muezzins seeking the honorarium have been approved by the state government.
"At the same time, all fresh applications that have been duly submitted by purohits and muezzins have also been approved by the State Government," she said.
The chief minister added that the move reflects the government’s commitment to recognising the role played by religious functionaries in society.
"We take pride in nurturing an environment where every community and every tradition is valued and strengthened,” she wrote, adding that the government’s endeavour is to ensure that those who safeguard the state’s spiritual traditions receive due recognition and support.
The announcement was made shortly before the Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule, after which the Model Code of Conduct will restrict governments from making new policy announcements or financial commitments aimed at influencing voters.
The increase in honorariums and approval of fresh applications therefore comes just ahead of the implementation of the poll code.
