The long-standing demand of West Bengal state government employees for the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission is gaining momentum. While central employees have been enjoying these benefits since 2016, state workers are still stuck with the 6th Pay Commission structure, leading to a significant pay disparity.

If the 7th Pay Commission is implemented using the 2.57 ‘fitment factor’ as seen in the central model, a basic pay of ₹10,000 would jump to ₹25,700. Experts estimate that the total monthly take-home salary, including HRA and DA, could increase by 2 to 2.5 times. This means an employee currently earning ₹30,000 could see their salary touching the ₹60,000 to ₹70,000 mark. However, the state’s financial health remains a concern, as this move would add thousands of crores in additional expenditure. While employees await a final decision, the gap between central and state DA remains a major point of contention.