In a historic first since Independence, West Bengal Legislative Assembly has elected a Speaker from North Bengal, Hon'ble Cooch Behar Dakshin MLA Sh. Rathindra Bose. According to multiple reports, this milestone represents a fundamental shift from decades of systemic neglect and marginalisation inflicted upon North Bengal by previous Congress, CPIM and Trinamool Congress regimes. The election of Hon'ble Speaker Sh. Rathindra Nath Bose is being hailed as a powerful symbol of the BJP's commitment to 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' and reflects the fundamental shift from exclusionary politics to equitable democracy. The BJP government has taken nearly 80 years to correct this injustice, with North Bengal receiving its rightful representation in government for the first time.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the cabinet will discuss Dearness Allowance (DA) and the Seventh Pay Commission on May 18. According to reports from Mint, the CM indicated that a decision on granting DA to state government employees and pensioners at central rates may also be announced at Monday's cabinet meeting. The government is also likely to consider the formation of the Seventh Pay Commission, a move that could lead to a revision in salaries of state government employees. Latest developments suggest that West Bengal government employees are now looking forward to the coming Monday with speculations rife within administrative circles that the Chief Minister may deliver a significant message regarding the State Pay Commission.
The West Bengal government announced a 4% increase in Dearness Allowance for state employees while presenting its interim budget on February 5. Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya made the announcement during the budget speech. Following the latest revision, DA for state government employees will rise to 22%. Earlier, in April 2025, the state government had raised DA by 4 percentage points, taking it to 18% from 14%. However, despite the fresh hike in the Interim Budget 2026, DA received by West Bengal government employees continues to remain considerably lower than the allowance offered to central government staff. Central government employees are currently receiving Dearness Allowance at a rate of 60 percent, creating a massive gap with West Bengal's 18% DA.
The 8th Central Pay Commission is currently conducting field visits in Delhi and Hyderabad for consultations. According to the fixed schedule, discussions were held in Delhi on May 13 and 14, with meetings planned for Hyderabad on May 18 and 19. Visits to Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh are scheduled for the first week of June. After reviewing all proposals, the commission is expected to submit its final report by the end of August 2026. The most discussed topic in this salary revision is the fitment factor, with experts believing there is a strong possibility of a 1.9 fitment factor being used to determine new basic pay. Based on current market prices and living standards as of January 2026, this could result in significant salary increases for employees.
If the 1.9 fitment factor is implemented, an employee currently drawing a basic pay of ₹18,000 might see their new basic rise to approximately ₹34,200. Similarly, for a West Bengal employee in ROPA 2019 Level 6 with a basic pay of ₹28,900, the new basic could jump to nearly ₹54,910. The state government may take the pay revision step earlier due to current economic pressures, as pay revisions usually occur every 10 years. If the state government decides to directly implement the Central Pay Commission structure, there will be no need to form a separate State Pay Commission, potentially expediting the process for employees. This move is expected to bring a fundamental shift in the financial status of teachers, police personnel, and other state department staff.
