Kolkata: The Bengal govt will clear long-pending pension arrears of retired state govt employees covering the period between 2008 and 2015, with 50% of the outstanding amount to be released this month and the balance paid in phases after audit and verification.The decision was taken at a meeting at Nabanna on Friday between CM’s adviser Subrata Gupta and representatives of the Sangrami Joutha Mancha.Officials said the arrears accumulated largely due to technical and banking-related issues around 2015, when online banking systems were not fully streamlined, leaving thousands of retired employees without their entitled payments despite repeated representations to successive administrations.“All eligible retired govt employees whose pension arrears remain unpaid due to technical or administrative complications will benefit. The arrears will be credited directly to their bank accounts,” a senior official said.The first instalment has been calculated on an estimated basis to ensure immediate relief, with the balance to follow after reconciliation of records.The state budget had earlier announced a 20% increase in dearness allowance for state govt employees, taking the total DA to 38%, effective from Oct.
