The West Bengal government has announced a 4% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for its employees in the February 2026 Budget, offering some relief after years of protests and court battles. With this increase, the DA for state government employees will stand at 22%. The West Bengal government pays salaries and pensions to its employees as per the 6th Pay Commission recommendations.
The announcement comes on the same day as a crucial Supreme Court order on long-pending DA arrears, keeping the issue firmly in the spotlight.
4% DA hike: What changes for state government employees
In the Budget presented on February 5, 2026, state’s Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya announced a 4% increase in the DA.
Previous, state employees were given a similar hike of 4% in April 2025, taking the key allowance from 14% to 18%. The latest increase will take DA to 22%.
Though uncomparable with the Central government DA level, which is currently 58%, the gap is very large. It is uncomparable for an obvious reason – central government employees currently get their salary and pension based on 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The 7th pay panel tern ended on December 31, 2025 and the 8th Pay Commission has begun its work.
West Bengal DA hike: Supreme Court steps in on DA arrears
On the same day as the state government presented its Budget 2026, the Supreme Court of India issued a landmark directive on unpaid DA dues, giving some relief to state employees.
The SC has said that arrears should be paid for the period of 2008 to 2019. The SC’s observation is DA is a legally enforceable right. As an immediate relief, at least 25% of total arrears must be paid by March 6, 2026, the court said.
This ruling follows years of litigation by state employees who argued that DA cannot be denied indefinitely.
Central DA: Around 58%, likely to rise to 60% in early 2026
Why the DA gap exists among states and Centre
One important factor is that West Bengal employees are still paid under the 6th Pay Commission structure. Unlike the Centre, each state sets up its own pay commission, usually once every 10 years.
As a result, DA calculations and revisions differ from the Centre and states are not automatically required to match Central DA rates. However, courts have now clarified that DA itself is a legal entitlement.
What lies ahead for West Bengal govt employees
The 2026 Budget announcement and the Supreme Court’s arrears order together signal progress, but expectations remain high. Employee unions are likely to keep pressing for faster clearance of remaining arrears, a clear roadmap to reduce the DA gap.