West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. , Photo Credit: ANI
With a large section of state government employees adamant on demanding dearness allowance at par with that of the central government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the government would not be able to provide the same to the protesters. Cut off his head.
Speaking in the extended budget session of the Assembly, Banerjee cited the difference in salary structure of the Central and West Bengal governments and claimed that the TMC government in the state was already giving 105% DA to its employees.
“How much do you (agitating government employees) want? How much will satisfy you? Please cut my head off and then hope you will be satisfied… If you don’t like me, cut my head off. But you will not get Even more than me,” she said.
Various organizations of state government employees including Sangrami Jotha Manch (united platform for struggle) are agitating to increase DA at par with central government employees.
He said that DA is not given by the BJP-ruled governments of Uttar Pradesh and Tripura and pension to retired state government employees is given only in West Bengal.
The Mamata Banerjee government has increased the DA by three per cent for its employees in this year’s budget. It also issued a notification to grant DA at the rate of six per cent of their basic pay to employees, pensioners and family pensioners with effect from March 1, 2023, following the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.
Accusing the Center of financial crunch, he said, “The state government is giving as much as possible. It is not mandatory to give DA. The pay scales of central and state government employees are different. State government employees get more holidays.” . This won’t happen.” Work to get more leaves and demand more DA.”
Continuing to speak in defense of her government’s stand on the issue, Ms. Banerjee said, “Does the state have a Reserve Bank? We are yet to get ₹1 lakh crore from the Centre. Money will not fall from the sky. I have given opportunity to government employees to go to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand.
No Objection Certificate is mandatory for Government servants applying for leave to go abroad on private tour. Prior permission of the competent authority is also necessary for such travel. The West Bengal government had in 2015 allowed state government employees to travel to neighboring countries once in ten years under the LTC scheme.
In an apparent attack on Leader of Opposition Shubhendu Adhikari for meeting agitating employees in Sahid Minar area, Banerjee asked whether he should stop pension as it would save money and help her government increase DA.
Last week, agitating government employees observed a 48-hour ‘kalam bandh’ in this regard, ignoring warnings of action against them.