By TC News Desk
Agartala, July 7, 2023: Finance minister Pranajit Singha Roy on Friday has proposed a total budget allocation of Rs 27654.40 crore for the financial year 2023-24 with an increase of 9.87 percent over the revised estimate (RE) of 2022-23 FY.
The capital expenditure projected at Rs 5358.7 crore with an increase of 22.28 percent over the RE 2022-23 fiscal year. The budget deficit stands at Rs 611.3 crore, said Singha Roy while proposing the budget for 2023-24 financial year on the first day of the state assembly’s budget session here on Friday morning.
He said “This budget is a blue print for things to come in future and make Tripura a Developed State. I hope that this budget will play a very important role for overall welfare of the people of the State and for implementation of the same, I expect cooperation from all sections of people. I extend my sincere thanks to all.”
In the Budget Speech read out by the Finance minister Singha Roy consisted of 177 points in 43 pages, he had mentioned that this budget aims to usher in an era of high growth and sustainable development by capital investment for development of infrastructure and good governance; to have inclusive and comprehensive development of all sections of the society including women, children, janajati, scheduled caste, other backward classes and minorities; development of agri and agri-allied sector with sustainable farming practices; and quality of life with special focus on education, skill and health for all.
The budget 2023-24 focuses on a new scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Integrated Crop Management Programme (MICMP)’ to cover 1,16,400 hectares area during 2023-24 with an outlay of Rs 10 crore for increasing production and productivity of ‘Aman’ paddy. It focuses on launching a new app namely ‘Kisan Sahayata Mobile App’ for agricultural advices to farmers, proposes to set up 2 Agriculture Development Research Cum Training Center with IT facilities at Kumarghat under Unakoti District and Amarpur under Gomati district involving Rs 4.10 crore.
The budget also focuses on cattle breed improvement programme in the state during 2023-24, 1.40 lakh doses of Artificial Insemination will be done by utilizing 70,000 Sex-sorted semen doses and 70,000 conventional semen doses. A modern Artificial Insemination Training Centre and five veterinary dispensaries will be established in the state during the next three years. The minister also proposed to launch a new revamped scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Prani Sampad Bikash Yojana’ for overall development of animal husbandry sector in the state with an outlay of Rs 10 crore.
A comprehensive Fisheries Policy will be framed to optimally utilize the land and water resources to enhance the production of fish in the State, thereby creating gainful employment opportunities for large number of youth. He proposed to announce a new scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Matsya Bikash Yojana (MMBY)’ for augmentation of fish production, fish seed production etc. with an allocation of Rs 12 crore in the budget.
Citing new initiatives for Education department, Singha Roy proposed to set up one Model School in each Block under ‘PMSHRI’ Scheme and allocated Rs 50 crore for constructing schools during FY 2023-24. He also proposed a new scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Konya Atmanirbhar Yojana’ to provide scooty to 100 girl toppers of Class XII to motivate girls for higher education. The government will launch ‘Tripura Agniveer Programme’ in the higher secondary schools to boost youth participation in ‘Agnipath’ scheme to serve the nation. Proposed to provide Wi-Fi coverage to all degree colleges and polytechnic institutes in the state with an outlay of Rs 15 crore. Construction of news science building at Netaji Subhash Mahavidyalaya, Udaipur with an outlay of Rs 40 crore, new science building at MBB College with an outlay of Rs 77 crore and an administrative and academic building at IASE, Kunjaban, Agartala with an outlay of Rs 10 crore.
Minister has been provided an outlay of Rs 4939 crore for Education and Youth Affairs sector in the budget 2023-24 fiscal year, outlay of Rs 1756 crore for health sector, etc.
All 9.60 lakh paper ration cards will be replaced by PVC ration cards while a total of 765 FP shops run by dealers and 165 FP shops run by Co-operative Societies will be transformed as Model fair price shops.
During 2023-24, Pre-Matric Scholarship (Class VI to VIII) will be provided to 35,300 SC students with Rs. 141.20 lakh; Pre- matric Scholarship (Class IX & X) to 12,100 SC students with Rs. 640.75 lakh; Post Matric Scholarship to 24,150 SC students with Rs. 6252.20 lakh; and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Merit Award to 10,500 SC students with Rs. 82 lakh. One Time financial support will be provided to 400 students involving Rs. 390 lakh. Soft loans will be provided by the Tripura SC Co-operative Development Corporation Ltd. to 3,100 beneficiaries involving Rs. 27 Cr during 2023-24.
Tripura Building & Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board (TBOCWW Board) has introduced Nirman Shramik Kalyan Prakalp 2.0 (NSKP 2.0) to provide social security benefits to registered construction workers and their families with the concept of ‘womb to tomb. The Scheme has enhanced Marriage benefit from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000 per case, Funeral Assistance from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 per case, Maternity benefit from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,000 per case, Education benefit from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 20,000 per case and ex-gratia from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 2 lacs per case for Natural death and Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 4 lacs per case for accidental death. All active registered construction workers will be provided interest subsidized loan up to Rs. 6 lacs. The scheme will benefit more than 50,000 families of registered construction workers in the State.
