Kolkata, June 4 (IANS) The West Bengal government has started paying dearness allowance (DA) relief to retired state government employees. This payment facility will also cover family members in case of the death of any such retired employee.

A notification issued from the state secretariat Nabanna stated that the period of DA relief is from 2008 to 2015.

As per the notification, in the event of the death of any state government employee or pensioner, their nominated person or legal heirs will be entitled to payment under the DA relief.

“It has been observed that in many cases, the employee or pensioner concerned had already passed away by the time the dues were disbursed. In such cases, complications arose in the payment process. Hence, new guidelines have been introduced involving the nominated or legal heirs to resolve this problem,” explained a state government official.

He added that, in cases of DA relief arrears, if the nominee’s name is registered with the concerned department, the money will be paid to that nominee. If the current family pensioner and the nominee are the same, the money will be sent directly to their account.

“However, if the nominee’s information is not available, then the legal heirs will have to submit the necessary documents, and the money will be paid on the basis of verification,” the official explained.

During the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime, there was a long legal battle between the state government and various associations of state employees over the payment of DA arrears.

Since the new state cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari took charge last month, the government has taken positive steps in this regard, the first of which is the payment of DA relief to retired employees, pensioners, and their legal or nominated heirs.

–IANS

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