Ticket to the past
Trams are featured in several paintings, symbolising the spirit of Kolkata. The heritage vehicle serves as an exemplary mode of eco-friendly transportation. Its movement has presently been severely restricted to only a few routes.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced the payment of 4 per cent Dearness Allowance of the state government employees while inaugurating the Kolkata Christmas Festival at Allen Park. “This is our Christmas gift to the state government employees.
The pensioners will be benefitted. It will be implemented from 1 January, 2024,” she said, adding: “Payment of DA is not mandatory.” She said as per the recommendation of the new pay commission, the state government had announced 6 per cent DA. For this, the state government had to pay Rs 4,133 crore annually.
After announcement of 4 per cent DA, the total DA payment has reached 10 per cent. This will benefit 14.50 lakh government employees, and teaching and non teaching staffs and pensioners will be benefitted. “Our dues are yet to be cleared. I had met the Prime Minister yesterday.
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We are trying to make every one happy within our limited means,” Miss Banerjee said. A press note issued by the state government stated that before the new government took over in 2011, the erstwhile state government following the recommendation of 5th pay commission had paid 35 per cent DA at Rs 13,009 crore till 2011.
After coming to power the state government accepted the recommendation of the 5th pay commission and till 2019, 90 per cent DA was cleared at Rs 1,66,865 crore. In 2019, the state government implemented the recommendation of the 6th pay commission.
According to the new pay scale, where the main salary (basic pay) was added to 125 per cent DA, the salary went up by 2.57 times. To meet the recommendation of the new pay commission the state government has paid more than Rs 2.52 lakh crore in the past three years.
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