In what is being termed a major pre-poll surprise, the West Bengal government has fast-tracked the process of clearing long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears. According to high-level sources at Nabanna, the first installment of the outstanding dues is likely to be credited to the accounts of state government employees starting this Monday (March 30, 2026). This follows a historic directive from the Supreme Court in February and the subsequent announcement by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The Finance Department has issued urgent notifications to all treasuries and Pay & Accounts offices to ensure that bills related to arrears are processed by the end of March. The arrears pertain to the ROPA-2009 period, which has been a bone of contention between the state administration and employee unions for over a decade.

The disbursal mechanism has been categorized based on employee hierarchy. Group D employees will receive the arrears directly into their linked bank accounts, providing immediate liquidity. For Group A, B, and C employees, the arrear amount will be credited to their General Provident Fund (GPF) accounts with a mandatory lock-in period of two years. Pensioners, however, will see the dues reflected in their direct bank transfers, ensuring a smooth transition for retired personnel as well.

Political analysts view this as a strategic move by the TMC government to neutralize the growing discontent among government employees just before the 2026 elections. While the opposition has dismissed it as an “election gimmick,” for lakhs of employees, the sight of credited funds after years of legal struggle is a significant victory. As the deadline of March 30 approaches, all eyes are on the banking systems to see the official execution of this massive payout.