After a decade-long legal battle and persistent protests, the West Bengal government has finally begun the process of disbursing pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears to its employees. Following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in February 2026, the state Finance Department initiated the first phase of payments this March. However, instead of celebrations, a wave of resentment has swept across state offices, with many employees alleging that the amount credited is significantly lower than their actual entitlement.

The Bone of Contention: The primary grievance stems from the government’s decision to clear arrears specifically for the period of January 2016 to December 2019 in the first phase. Employees argue that their dues date back to 2008, and the current payout covers only a fraction of what is owed. Furthermore, for Group A, B, and C employees, the funds are being credited to their General Provident Fund (GPF) accounts with a 24-month lock-in period, rather than being paid in cash.

Legal Obligations vs. Ground Reality: The Supreme Court had directed the state to release at least 25% of the total outstanding DA arrears by March 31, 2026. Protesting unions like the ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ claim that the state’s calculation ignores several years of accumulated interest and the actual gap between state and central DA rates. “What we received is peanuts compared to our legal rights. The government is trying to technically comply with the court order while depriving us of the actual sum,” stated a representative of the forum.

Political Fallout: With the 2026 Assembly elections just weeks away, the DA issue has become a major political weapon. While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has highlighted this as a fulfillment of her promise to the ‘Ma-Mati-Manush’ (mother, land, and people), the opposition has termed it a “last-minute desperate soap.” The BJP leadership has warned of further protests if the full 2008-2019 arrears are not calculated transparently.

The Finance Department maintains that the disbursements are being made as per the AICPI guidelines and the ROPA 2009 rules. However, with thousands of employees reporting discrepancies in their HRMS portals, the battle for DA in Bengal seems far from over.