DA hiked to 38%, 33% women's quota in jobs, stipend for Asha increased by 5,000 in Bengal budget

West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta unveiled a series of massive financial benefits and employment promises during the state budget presentation on Monday. Headlining the announcements is a substantial hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees. Reading directly from the budget document, Dasgupta declared an additional 20 percent DA on top of the existing 18 percent, bringing the total DA to an impressive 38 percent. State pensioners are also set to benefit equally, with a matching 20 percent increase in Dearness Relief, with both structural changes scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Beyond formal government employees, the state administration has introduced critical financial relief for grassroots and community healthcare workers. Starting August 2026, the monthly remuneration for civic volunteers, green police, and homeguards will be increased by ₹2,000. Even more significantly, Asha workers across the state will see their monthly stipends jump by ₹5,000. These targeted economic adjustments reflect a strategic effort by the state government to address growing inflation concerns and boost the spending power of lower-income public workers.

Turning the focus toward economic development and employment generation, the 2026 budget outlines an ambitious recruitment roadmap to tackle unemployment in the state. Dasgupta officially promised that the administration will fill one lakh vacancies across various government job sectors. In a historic move aimed at promoting gender parity and economic independence among women, the state has mandatorily reserved 33 percent of these upcoming job openings for female candidates, charting a new course for Bengal’s administrative workforce.