AGARTALA, January 7 (TIWN): Tripura Left Front government today announced five per cent increase in the dearness allowance (DA) for its employees and pensioners in Tripura, with effect from January this year taking it to 69%, said Tripura Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha today.Talking to the reporters here at the secretariat today Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha said that the Tripura cabinet today announced the hike of DA to 5% for the state govt. employees and the pensioners. He added that the additional financial insinuation for new DA would be above Rs 157 crore per annum.
The cabinet today also decided to implement VAT tax of 14.5% on tobacco items here in the state. Besides, the cabinet today approved the State University Bill. The Bill is scheduled to place before the budget session on February 14. And later after the bill is passed it will be sent to the center, said Saha.

However at present the state govt. employees and the pensioners are getting 64% DA from July last year. But today the Tripura cabinet decided to hike it by 5% with effective from January 2015 taking it to rest at 69%.  

The minister said despite increasing 5 per cent DA for the pensioners and state government employees the difference between the state and central employees still remained at 38 per cent.