'Chop my head off…’: Here's what Mamata Banerjee told state govt employees seeking DA hike 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that the state government employees protesting over the issue of Dearness Allowance (DA), along with the opposition, can 'chop off her head' if they are not happy with the amount of DA they receive at present. She further said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government is in no position to hike dearness allowance for West Bengal government employees due to a cash crunch. 

In the same breath, she also accused the Narendra Modi-led Central government of not disbursing funds due to the state. Banerjee was addressing the opposition BJP legislators who came out in support of the state government employees’ demand to get DA at par with the central government employees. 

The West Bengal CM, who has also served as the Union Railways Minister in the past, said that the pay scale for central government and state government employees is vastly different. 

She was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI, “I am giving 105 per cent DA. How much more do you want? State government employees have different pay scales from central employees. We don’t have so much capacity as they (the Centre) are not giving 100 days’ work money and others. Accept what we are giving (DA issue). If you don’t like me, behead me. But beyond this, I cannot do anything.” 

She further said that if the Bengal government stops paying full pension to state government employees, it would lead to savings worth Rs 20,000 crore and ease the state’s debt burden.

Banerjee noted, “Today, here in Bengal, we pay full pension. If we stop it, we can save Rs 20,000 crore and reduce our debt burden. I have paid DA amounting to Rs 1.79 lakh crore to employees.” Banerjee also went onto list the benefits state government employees in Bengal get including trips to Bangkok, Sri Lanka and other places once in 10 years and 40 days of leave with pay. 

Banerjee said, “We allow state government employees to visit Bangkok, Sri Lanka and other such places once in ten years. We have 40 days of leave with pay. Which other government allows this many leaves with pay?”

In the 2023-24 West Bengal Budget, Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the TMC government will pay 3 per cent additional DA to its current as well as retired state government employees including teachers. Before this, the state gave 3 per cent of the basic salary as dearness allowance. 

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