State to give early salaries to its employees this month

With the Pujas just around the bend, the state government has announced an advance disbursal of current month salaries for its employees between 24 and 25 September, this year.

A government notification to this effect was issued by the state secretariat at Nabanna late last night. Along with salaries, all honorariums, allowances and even pensions would be disbursed before 1 October, keeping the Pujas in mind.

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The state notification comes on the heels of a similar notification by the Centre for central government employees based in West Bengal, which said that its employees would receive this month’s salaries in advance on 26 September.

Political observers were quick to point out the Trinamul Congress-ruled state government felt compelled to move fast in making its announcement in a bid to counter the central government move. Durga Puja dates this year are earlier than other years, when salaries were not needed to be disbursed before the month was over.

The early onset of the festive season, coupled with the upmanship required prior to next year’s Assembly polls, has necessitated the deviation from the standard norm of disbursing salaries on the last day of the month.

While the employees would, as per the notification receive their salaries and other wages, allowances, honorarium between 24 and 25 September, pensions and beneficiaries of government doles in various flagship schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar and Jai Bangla would be channelled by 1 October.