The Tripura cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to increase 5 per cent DA to state government employees and pensioners with effect from November 1, a minister said. Around 2 lakh employees and pensioners will benefit from the additional 5 per cent DA taking the total dearness allowance to 30 per cent, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury told reporters. The council of ministers approved a proposal to hike DA by 5 per cent for the government employees and pensioners with effect from November 1. The state government will have to spend an additional Rs 500 crore annually for the increased DA," the minister said after the cabinet meeting. The decision was taken despite tight fiscal conditions and the government's spending of Rs 1,700 crore on restoration work after the devastating flood in the northeastern state, he said. The move to increase 5 per cent DA was aimed at reducing the gap of the dearness allowance between employees of the Centre and state government, .