Pen-down call for dearness allowance hike on February 21

This is the first time Trinamul-led state government is set to face such an intensified agitation since it came to power, says senior bureaucrat

A rally by state government employees on the DA issue in Calcutta on Friday. : Pradip Sanyal

A rally by state government employees on the DA issue in Calcutta on Friday. : Pradip Sanyal

Pranesh Sarkar   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |  18.02.23  : The agitation for parity in dearness allowance for state government employees with their central government counterparts is intensifying with the CPM-backed Coordination Committee, deemed the biggest umbrella organisation of state government employees, giving the call for a pen-down on February 21. 

The call for pen-down came two days after the state government in its budget presentation announced a 3 per cent DA hike in a bid to placate state government employees. 

The call for pen-down by the Coordination Committee on February 21 is being deemed significant as the joint forum — a combine of 20-odd employees’ unions which is carrying out a sit-in for the past three weeks on the same issue —  announced similar events on February 20 and 21.

“It is clear that all unions — which had differences on several issues—are coming close together for the DA demand. This is the first time the Trinamul-led state government is set to face such an intensified agitation since it came to power. It is uncomfortable for the ruling party ahead of panchayat polls where government employees play a crucial role in holding the polls,” said a senior bureaucrat.

Some leaders of the forum said that they have decided to intensify the agitation after 3 per cent DA hike announcement because the state government employees would still get 32 per cent less DA compared to their central government counterparts.

“We have already started a relay hunger strike after carrying out the sit-in for about three weeks. We will intensify the agitation with the pendown for two days. We will continue the agitation until our demand is met,” said a source.

The call for a pen-down by the Coordination Committee will certainly get more and more employees to join the protest, sources said.

“Already the agitation by the joint forum has become a talking point in the administrative and political circles. Now, as the Coordination Committee start the agitation with the joint forum, the situation may turn critical for the ruling establishment,” said a source.

Calcutta High Court has already ruled in favour of state government employees and passed an order asking the state government to clear the due DA to the employees.

The state government moved to the Supreme Court challenging the high court order. The matter could come up for hearing on March 15.

Sources in the government said that the state government has no intention to deprive the employees, but the poor condition of the state coffers is preventing the state from giving its employees DA on a par with the central government counterparts.

“The state will require Rs 41,000 crore and it does not have that much money. But it has no intention to deprive its employees. It became clear with the announcement of a 3 per cent DA recently despite the financial constraints,” said an official.

Sources said that the fresh installment of 3 per cent DA will put an additional burden of Rs 2,100 crore annually on the state exchequer, which is a handsome amount considering the poor state of the coffers.

But employee unions are not ready to accept the state’s argument.

“The fresh installment of DA was announced to save its face in the court. Our stand is clear. Employees cannot be deprived for years,” said a leader of the joint forum.

A Coordination Committee leader said it was yet to be decided whether they would join hands with the joint forum during the agitation, but will take a call soon. “We are extending moral support to all those who fight for employee rights. Early next week, we will take a call on whether to carry out the agitation jointly with the forum,” he said.