Ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has played a significant political card by announcing that her government will commence the payment of the pending dearness allowance (DA) to state employees and pensioners from March 2026. This announcement, made just before the announcement of election dates, is seen as an effort to secure support from a key demographic of state workers who are essential to the region's economy and governance. The decision to disburse this allowance also includes benefits for teachers and non-teaching staff from educational institutions, as well as employees from various grant-aided institutions, signaling a broader commitment to public sector workers.

Banerjee took to social media platform X to express her pleasure in fulfilling her government's promise to the state’s employees and pensioners. She noted that millions of teachers, non-teaching staff, and local body employees will directly benefit from this decision. This announcement comes at a strategic time as the TMC government seeks to consolidate its support base amidst growing political competition, making it crucial for Banerjee to demonstrate her commitment to the welfare of public employees in the state. It reflects her administration's larger narrative of being based on 'Maa-Mati-Manush' (Mother, Soil, Humanity), which aims to resonate with the grassroots electorate in West Bengal.

The payments will be initiated under the 'Ropa 2009' scheme, which indicates that the government is leveraging already established policy frameworks to manage fiscal matters as they gear up for upcoming elections. The announcement also includes increased honorariums for priests and