West Bengal government employees and pensioners will receive their October salary and pension in advance, ahead of Durga Puja, with the enhanced dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) included wherever applicable.

The state Finance Department issued a notification on Wednesday, fixing October 15 as the date for disbursal of the payments.

The move brings forward the usual month-end salary and pension schedule as Durga Puja falls in the middle of October this year.

The official Finance Department records show that the government had earlier notified the enhanced DA/DR from October 1, 2026.

Under the latest directive, October salaries of state government employees, along with salaries under grant-in-aid institutions, wages, remuneration, stipends and honorariums, will be released on October 15.

October pensions and family pensions will also be paid on the same date.

The Finance Department has instructed the concerned authorities to make the necessary arrangements in advance to ensure that the payments are processed on schedule.

Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) and administrators of deposit accounts have been asked to submit the required bills and documents to the treasury ahead of time.

The enhanced DA and DR will be paid along with the salary and pension for beneficiaries covered by the relevant government orders.

The state had notified a 20 percentage-point increase in DA, taking the DA rate for eligible state government employees to 38% of basic pay from October 1, according to the August 4 Finance Department order.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had announced in July that state government employees would receive an additional 20% DA from October and that the October salary would be released before Durga Puja.

The latest Finance Department notification formally sets out the payment schedule.

The timing is significant as Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal begin in the second half of October, with Maha Chaturthi on October 15 and Maha Shashthi on October 16.

The advance payment will cover not only serving employees but also pensioners and family pension beneficiaries.

The Finance Department's directive is aimed at ensuring that the payment process is completed before the major Puja festivities begin.

The decision has also prompted questions from sections of the teaching community over the continued exclusion of state teachers and education workers from the West Bengal Health Scheme. Representatives of teachers' organisations have welcomed the advance salary arrangement while raising the demand for their inclusion in the health scheme.

With the latest order, October 15 will be the key date for state government employees and pensioners awaiting their salary, pension and applicable enhanced DA/DR ahead of Durga Puja.