Tripura HC directs state govt to release DA

Agartala:  The Tripura High Cour on Saturday directed the state to pay 31 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) to state government employees in three installments at six months’ interval to bring parity between central and state government employees.
Disposing of a petition of the Secretary General of Tripura Government Employees Federation, Shishrendra Saha regarding disparity in payment of DA with the state government employees, Justice Subhashis Talapatra ordered to pay the first installment of balance DA in July next.
The petitioner alleged as per the rules, employees have the right to get equal amount of DA like Central government employees. Other states were following the norms meticulously. But the Tripura government has failed to ensure DA payment equal to those of central government employees between January 2009 and August 2011.
Saha alleged that when he filed the case, the difference of DA between state and Central government employees was only 24 per cent and in the meantime Central government had released another 7 per cent DA to its employees.
As a result, the differences widened to 31 per cent. Despite repeated demands, the state government did not take any step to balance the gap.
Besides, plan allocations, 13th and 14th Finance Commission have provided sufficient provision of grants to ensure parity in salaries and allowances of the state government employees with central.
However, according to report, the Left Front government has taken a decision to move for appeal against the judgment at least to delay the execution of the court order, as the financial condition of the state is not good now. (UNI)