In a move that brings cheer to state government employees and pensioners, the Tripura government has announced a 3% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR). Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha made the announcement on Tuesday, terming it a "Durga Puja gift" for the state's workforce. The decision, which was revealed on the final day of the Tripura Legislative Assembly's session, will be effective from October 1, 2025.

This increase raises the DA to 36%. The Chief Minister emphasized the government's commitment to supporting its employees and all residents of Tripura. He recalled a previous 29% hike implemented after he assumed office and highlighted the financial challenges in providing these benefits, noting that even a 1% increase requires approximately Rs 100 crore.

The DA and DR hike will benefit thousands of government employees and pensioners across Tripura. The state government will allocate an additional Rs 125 crore to facilitate this increase.

The Finance Minister, Pranajit Singha Roy, has stated that the government is actively working to reduce the gap in Dearness Allowance between state and central government employees. He highlighted that the government had increased the fitment factor from 2.25 to 2.57, aligning with the Central Government's 7th Pay Commission, which resulted in a 14.22% increase in basic pay. The Finance Minister also noted that the state had continued to release DA for employees and DR for pensioners during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when several other states had suspended such allowances.

Furthermore, the Tripura government has implemented several other measures aimed at employee welfare. These include: * Raising the retirement age of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans from 58 to 60 years * Increasing ration money and dress allowance for TSR and police personnel * Tripling the monthly pension of Home Guards * Raising the festival advance from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 * Tripling the festival grant compared to 2018 levels * Regularizing fixed-pay employees after five years of continuous service

These initiatives reflect the Tripura government's focus on improving the financial well-being and overall working conditions of its employees.