Tripura government tables ₹27,654 crore tax-free budget; proposes 13 new schemes
In 2022-23, there was a growth of about 8.8% against 7.20% growth at the national level
With a special focus on the social sector, infrastructures, health, agriculture and allied sectors, the Tripura government on Friday tabled a tax-free budget of ₹27,654 crore with a deficit of ₹611.3 crore. It also proposed 13 new schemes named as chief minister’s schemes.
Presenting the budget on the first day of the Monsoon session, state finance minister Pranajit Singha Roy said the budget is future and growth-oriented, adding that the state’s economy is likely to grow at 8%.
In 2022-23, there was a growth of about 8.8% against 7.20% growth at the national level, Roy said, adding that the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is estimated to grow at about 8% in the current fiscal year against the growth of 6-6.5% at the national level.
“This budget is future and growth-oriented. All sections of the society including women, students, youths, employees, pensioners, transgenders, scheduled tribes, scheduled caste, minorities, and OBCs would be benefitted from the budget,” Roy told the reporters at Tripura Legislative Assembly after placing the budget in the House.
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“We placed a vote on account in March to conduct the developmental projects for the coming four months till July. Now, we have tabled the budget of ₹27,654 crores. Discussion over the budget will be held on July 10 and 12,” he added.
Earlier this March, the Bharatiya Janata Party-Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (BJP-IPFT) government in Tripura placed an estimated ₹9,066.56 crore as a vote on accounts for uninterrupted developmental works for the next four months for the 2023-24 financial year.
Moreover, the state government also introduced 13 new schemes in health, education, sports agriculture, girls, animal resources etc. named the chief minister’s scheme.
The minister proposed to introduce a CM-Jana Arogya Yojana for universal health insurance for all residents. It also proposed Mukhyamantri Sports Development Scheme, Mukhyamantri Tribal Development Mission, and Mukhyamantri Dakhyata Unnayan Prakalpa to make the youths skilled in professional jobs.
Further, Mukhyamantri Nagar Unnayan Prakalpa for the development of infrastructures in urban towns, Mukhyamantri Akanksha Scheme to provide coaching to 100 OBC students for different competitive examinations, Mukhyamantri State Talent Search Programme to provide training and one-time financial assistance upto Rs.5 lakhs to female athletes.
The budget also proposed to introduce Mukyamantri Konya Atmanirbhor Yojana under which the state will provide free scooters to 100 girl toppers of class 12 to motivate them for higher education.
Other proposed schemes were Mukhyamantri Satellite Town Development Scheme, CM-SATH Scheme to provide scholarships to students, Mukhyamantri Matsya Bikash Yojana to augment fish production and Mukhyamantri Prani Sampad Bikash Yojana to develop animal husbandry sector.
The budget made provisions to set up a centre for Artificial Intelligence to help the state to use AI in public services and good governance. Over an amount of ₹1,436 crore will be allocated in agriculture and allied sector while in the health sector, the proposed allocated amount is over ₹1,756 crores.
In the social sector, the budget proposed to allocate over ₹7,000 crores.
Last year, the state government tabled a tax-free budget of ₹26,892.67 crore with a hike of 18.34% from the previous year’s budget and a total growth of over ₹4,000 crore in size.
