5% DA hike for Tripura employees

The Tripura government on Wednesday announced an additional five per cent dearness allowance (DA) for its 209,000 employees and pension holders.

"Notwithstanding the state government facing financial crisis, the government has released additional five per cent of DA for the employees and pensioners," Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told reporters on Wednesday evening after a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

He said to provide the DA and lump sum increase in wages for the fixed pay, contingent workers and part-time employees, the additional annual spending from the government exchequer would be Rs 169 crore.

"Over 209,000 government employees and pensioners would get the new installments of DA from next month (January)," Saha said.

Employees of public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies would also be benefited.

State government employees and pensioners had long been demanding from the state government that their DA be equal to that of central government employees.

With this new installment, the DA of state government employees and pensioners rose to 88 per cent, while central government employees are getting this allowance at 127 per cent.

"The state government had received Rs 500 crore less amount in last financial year (2015-16) from the Union government despite its obligation and we apprehend that this financial year (2016-17), we may also get Rs 1,100 crore less fund from the centre," he added.

--IANS

sc/pgh/vd