Mamata's Masterstroke: Salary Hike for Purohits-Muezzins, DA for Employees Before Poll Dates

• CM Mamata Banerjee announced a ₹500 increase in monthly honorariums for purohits and muezzins, raising their pay to ₹2,000.
• All new, correctly submitted applications from purohits and muezzins for the honorarium scheme have also been approved.
• State employees, pensioners, and teaching/non-teaching staff will receive ROPA 2009 DA arrears starting March 2026.
• The announcements came just hours before the Election Commission was set to declare assembly election dates for five states.
• Critics view this as a politically significant move, balancing appeasement of both Hindu and Muslim religious communities.