West Bengal DA hike: 38% dearness allowance from Oct 1 for state employees
Synopsis
West Bengal has formally notified a 38% dearness allowance from 1 October 2025 — covering not just permanent employees but teachers, pensioners, panchayat workers, and daily wage earners. For those on the pre-revised Fifth Pay Commission structure, the DA jumps sharply from 171% to 223% in a single move, while daily-rated workers get an ad-hoc ₹110 raise.
Key Takeaways
The West Bengal Finance Department has notified an enhanced DA of 38 per cent for state government employees, effective 1 October 2025 .
The benefit extends to teaching and non-teaching school staff, panchayat workers, municipal employees, statutory body staff, and government undertaking employees.
Pensioners and family pensioners will receive dearness relief at 38 per cent of their revised basic or family pension from 1 October 2025 .
Employees on the Fifth Pay Commission pre-revised pay structure will see DA rise from 171 per cent to 223 per cent in one step.
Daily wage workers outside statutory wage regulation will receive an ad-hoc increase of ₹110 per day from the same date.
Government undertakings and statutory bodies must fund the additional DA from their own resources; the state will provide no separate financial assistance.
The West Bengal Finance Department has issued a formal notification confirming that an enhanced dearness allowance (DA) of 38 per cent will be paid to state government employees with effect from 1 October 2025. The move benefits a wide cross-section of the state's workforce, from permanent employees to pensioners and daily wage workers.
Who Gets the Benefit
The enhanced DA covers permanent state government employees, teaching and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools, and employees of statutory bodies, government undertakings, panchayats (including panchayat workers), municipal corporations, municipalities, and other local bodies. Pensioners and family pensioners will also receive dearness relief (DR) at 38 per cent of their revised basic or family pension from 1 October 2025.
Background: Budget Announcement in June
The DA enhancement was first announced by West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta — a journalist-turned-politician — while presenting the budget proposals for financial year 2026-27 on the floor of the West Bengal Assembly on 22 June. Tuesday's notification by the Finance Department's audit branch formally fixes the implementation date, translating the budget promise into a disbursement schedule.
Pre-Revised Pay Structure: A Steeper Hike
For employees still drawing salaries under the pre-revised structure recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission, the DA rate has been raised in a single step from 171 per cent to 223 per cent, effective 1 October 2025. An identical revision applies to pensioners receiving pre-revised pension or family pension under ROPA (Revision of Pay and Allowance), 2009 — their dearness relief also moves from 171 per cent to 223 per cent from the same date.
Daily Wage Workers Get Ad-Hoc Raise
Government daily wage workers or daily-rated workers whose wages fall outside the purview of any statutory provision such as the Minimum Wages Act will receive an ad-hoc daily wage increase of ₹110, also effective 1 October 2025.
Funding Responsibility and Implementation
The notification makes clear that government undertakings and statutory bodies must bear the cost of the additional DA and DR from their own funds or from budget-allocated financial assistance. The state government will not provide any separate additional financial support for this purpose. Principal Accountant General of West Bengal Anindya Dasgupta has been directed to issue necessary instructions to government banks in Kolkata and to the concerned accountant general in other districts to ensure correct calculation and timely disbursement. With the October deadline now formalised, implementation machinery across the state is expected to be activated in the coming weeks.
Point of View
Suggesting years of deferred revision are being corrected at once. The ₹110 ad-hoc daily wage increase, while modest, is politically meaningful ahead of any electoral cycle. The real test will be whether the disbursement machinery — particularly in districts — meets the October deadline without the delays that have historically plagued state-level DA rollouts.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the West Bengal DA hike announced for October 2025?
The West Bengal Finance Department has notified a dearness allowance of 38 per cent for permanent state government employees, effective 1 October 2025. The same rate applies as dearness relief for pensioners and family pensioners on revised pensions.
Who is covered under the West Bengal DA hike notification?
The enhanced DA covers permanent state government employees, teaching and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools, employees of statutory bodies, government undertakings, panchayats, municipal corporations, municipalities, and other local bodies. Pensioners and family pensioners are also included.
What happens to employees still on the Fifth Pay Commission pay structure?
For employees on the pre-revised Fifth Pay Commission pay structure, the DA rate increases from 171 per cent to 223 per cent in a single step from 1 October 2025. The same revision applies to pensioners drawing pre-revised pensions under ROPA 2009.
Will daily wage government workers benefit from this notification?
Yes. Government daily wage workers whose wages are not governed by any statutory provision such as the Minimum Wages Act will receive an ad-hoc increase of ₹110 per day, also effective from 1 October 2025.
Who bears the cost of the additional DA for government undertakings?
The West Bengal government has clarified that all additional DA and dearness relief expenses for employees of government undertakings and statutory bodies must be met from their own funds or from budget-allocated financial assistance. No separate financial support will be provided by the state government.
