WB announces DA
West Bengal finance minister Asim Dasgupta on Thursday announced a Rs 222-crore installment of dearness allowance (DA) for nearly 10 lakh state government employees.
By TNN |
KOLKATA: West Bengal finance minister Asim Dasgupta on Thursday announced a Rs 222-crore installment of dearness allowance (DA) for nearly 10 lakh state government employees. The employees will get their DA arrears before the pujas, Dr Dasgupta told reporters at Writers’ Buildings.
Dr Dasgupta said the West Bengal government would have to bear an additional expenditure of Rs 222 crore to pay DA arrears to state employees, who include teachers of government-sponsored schools, employees of the municipalities and various state government undertakings.
The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in the state assembly, Dr Manas Bhunia, however, criticised the state finance minister for making the announcement as by-elections to the three Lok Sabha seats and one assembly constituency are scheduled on September 16.
“We are not against the state government’s decision to pay DA to its employees. But Dr Dasgupta could have announced it much before the EC’s decision to hold by-elections in the state was made public,” Dr Bhunia said. He said the Congress might take up the issue with the EC as the party felt the state finance minister had violated the Model Code of Conduct by making the DA payment announcement just before the polls.
But Dr Dasgupta, feels he has not violated EC’s Model Code of Conduct by announcing payment of DA arrears. “Before making the announcement, I had sought the permission of the EC which had cleared my prayer about making the announcement,” the state finance minister said.
Dr Dasgupta said the West Bengal government would have to bear an additional expenditure of Rs 222 crore to pay DA arrears to state employees, who include teachers of government-sponsored schools, employees of the municipalities and various state government undertakings.
The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in the state assembly, Dr Manas Bhunia, however, criticised the state finance minister for making the announcement as by-elections to the three Lok Sabha seats and one assembly constituency are scheduled on September 16.
“We are not against the state government’s decision to pay DA to its employees. But Dr Dasgupta could have announced it much before the EC’s decision to hold by-elections in the state was made public,” Dr Bhunia said. He said the Congress might take up the issue with the EC as the party felt the state finance minister had violated the Model Code of Conduct by making the DA payment announcement just before the polls.
But Dr Dasgupta, feels he has not violated EC’s Model Code of Conduct by announcing payment of DA arrears. “Before making the announcement, I had sought the permission of the EC which had cleared my prayer about making the announcement,” the state finance minister said.
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