(C): Unsplash
The need for revision in Dearness Allowance in the state of West Bengal has once again become a talking point with the newly formed government of the state to discuss the Dearness Allowance hike and implementation of the 7th Pay Commission for the first time in a very important cabinet meeting today, 18 May 2026. At the meeting, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said it will discuss some important issues related to the government staff and pensioners of the state.
The announcement has given a ray of hope to lakhs of pensioners and government employees of West Bengal, who have been protesting for the last few years for parity in DA with the central government employees. The government of West Bengal has been under mounting pressure to take any action to provide new DA as other states such as Bihar, Odisha and Tamil Nadu had already announced fresh DA for 2026.
Currently, the Dearness Allowance paid to the government employees of West Bengal is 22%, which had been hiked by 4 per cent in the interim Budget of the state government earlier this year. But this is still lower than what the central government employees get under the 7th Pay Commission.
This mismatch ultimately stems from the structure, because the employees in West Bengal are still working in the 6th Pay Commission, and the central government employees have already changed to the 7th Pay Commission, which has a higher DA rate and a new pay structure. This disparity has been pointed out by employee unions on many occasions, and they say that the disparity is not only in remuneration but also would impact pensioners and family pensioners who rely on Dearness Relief on the same formula.
Giving a favourable nod to the West Bengal DA hike beneficiaries during today’s cabinet discussion could pave the way for a new DA hike rate and a staggered implementation of the 7th Pay Commission in the state.
As West Bengal discusses, several other states have taken the first steps in announcing the DA increase for 2026:
The Bihar government allowed for the hike in DA and Dearness Relief for lakhs of government employees and pensioners. This was approved by a cabinet meeting chaired by Patna’s Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. The DA hike for Bihar under the 7th Pay Commission is going to be 2% (from 58% to 60%) from 1st January 2026.
The DA rate for the state will be raised from 58% to 60%, with a two percentage point increase, also from January 1, 2026, said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The revised DA will be seen in the salaries of employees and pensioner payments from the next disbursement cycle, which is in May.
In 2026, Tamil Nadu became one of the many states that have been reviewing the allowances. The Chief Minister, C. Joseph Vijay, announced that the government employees, teachers, pensioners and family pensioners will be given 2% DA. The revision of DA in Tamil Nadu is in line with the state’s efforts to follow the trend of increasing COLI.
The West Bengal DA hike discussion in today’s cabinet meeting comes at a critical time. Employee unions around the state have long complained that they are out of step with their fellow workers in other neighbouring states and at the centre in terms of finances due to the failure to keep up with the 6th Pay Commission framework.
Any move by the West Bengal government towards the salary changes of the 7th Pay Commission or an actual DA hike will be one of the most monumental changes in the salary of the state employees in many years. Pensioners would also be getting a good boost as the Dearness Relief is directly linked with the Approved DA rates by the State.
The debate on the DA hike has been pending in West Bengal for years, but today’s cabinet meeting may finally give the game-changing boost to the DA hike reform. However, as other states are rushing to revise the DA for the 7th Pay Commission, the government employees and pensioners of West Bengal will be keen to see what happens in their state. Watch for developments after the cabinet’s meeting.
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