Kolkata, Feb 8 (NationPress) Members of the Joint Forum of State Government Employees marched through the streets of Kolkata on Sunday, calling on the Mamata Banerjee administration to disburse the 25 percent pending Dearness Allowance (DA) as mandated by the Supreme Court ruling.

The demonstrators paraded from Subodh Mallick Square to Rani Rashmoni Road in central Kolkata, with BJP MP Saumitra Khan joining to show his support for the state employees. Protesters voiced their concerns that the state government was hesitant to fulfill the Supreme Court's directive regarding the pending DA.

Members of the forum further criticized the state government for not announcing any plans regarding the DA since the Supreme Court's ruling. They have taken to the streets once again to ensure the government does not file a review petition against the Supreme Court's decision.

Bhaskar Ghosh, the convener of the joint forum, stated, “The government must comply with the court's decision. This DA will benefit not just the employees; it will also stimulate the market. Additionally, it will enhance the value of labor. This entire cycle has been disrupted due to the non-payment of pending DA by the state government.”

On February 5, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee informed media representatives in the state Assembly, “The committee that rendered this verdict included two Supreme Court judges and one from the CAG. However, there was no representative from the West Bengal government. Therefore, after careful consideration and legal consultation, we have established a committee led by the Chief Secretary. They will review this matter and advise us on the next steps.”

The Supreme Court mandated the Mamata Banerjee government to settle 25 percent of the DA owed to state employees by March 31.

A division bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra also instructed the state to form a four-member committee to evaluate the remaining 75 percent of the DA.

This bench had previously reserved its judgment on the case in August of the previous year.

In an interim order issued on May 16 last year, the Supreme Court directed the state government to disburse 25 percent of the DA to its employees within three months. The Mamata Banerjee administration subsequently asked the Supreme Court for an extension of the deadline by six months, citing financial constraints.

It is noteworthy that since 2022, there have been 18 adjournments in this matter following the Mamata Banerjee government’s appeal against contempt proceedings initiated by the Calcutta High Court concerning the DA issue.

As of April 1, 2025, the dearness allowance for Bengal government employees has been set at 18 percent of the basic salary, as per last year’s state budget proposals. The disparity between central and state government employee salaries stands at approximately 40 percent.