WB govt to decide on DA after getting pay panel report: Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said the West Bengal government will decide on bridging the gap between dearness allowances (DA) of state and central government employees only after getting recommendations from the Pay Commission.

Banerjee, however, said she will not let other state- run schemes suffer in order to implement the recommendations of the Commission.

The Sixth Pay Commission was formed on November 27, 2015, months before the 2016 assembly election, to restructure the salary of state government employees.

Headed by Prof Abhirup Sarkar, the panel was scheduled to submit its report within six months. However, it got periodic extensions and the latest one for another six months came on May 28.

"They (state employees) are yelling demanding shortfall of dearness allowance. The Pay Commission is yet to submit its report. It has sought six more months till December. Let it submit its report. Then we will think about it as per our capacity. The government cannot make any decision," she told reporters.

Employees of the Centre currently get around 23 per cent more DA than their West Bengal government counterparts.

"The (state) government also requires money to run the administration. We will try our best as per our capacity. But we will not stop the Khadya Sathi scheme, Kanyashree, Swasthya Sathi and other schemes in order to implement recommendations of the Pay Commission," Banerjee said.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said she will continue providing jobs to the poor and needy though many of them had voted against her party in the Lok Sabha elections.

"I will see that the right people get what they require. Our motto is to provide more work to the poor," she said.