Feb 20, 2017: Finance Minister of Tripura Bhanu Lal Saha today tabled a deficit budget for 2017-18 and no new taxes or change in existing taxes were proposed. Expenditure was pegged at Rs 15956.56 crores with a deficit of Rs 198 crore in the Budget for 2017-18. Expenditure for 2017-18 is higher than the previous year’s budget by Rs 710 Crore (4.66 per cent). Out of total expenditure, Rs 9977.87 crore was proposed for Non Plan expenditure while Rs 6078.69 Crore for Planned Expenditure.
Speaking to media persons, Finance Minister said, Government will try to cover up Rs 198 Crore deficit through enhanced tax collection, reducing unproductive expenses and additional resource mobilization. On State Government employees’ salary and pension issue, Finance Minister said, Rs 600 crore have been allocated to pay salary and pension after review. However, he remained non-committal about whether State Government will constitute any Review Committee or follow recommendation of 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) for reviewing salaries and pensions. He, of course, stated, implementation of 7th CPC requires huge fund which is not feasible at this pint as neither the 14th Finance Commission nor the Union Budget 2017-18 had made any provision for required amount of fund.In his Budget sppech, Finance Minister announced some new proposals relating to welafare of SC/ST/OBC, minority community and under-privileged section. He proposed “to enhance the present rate of boarding house stipend for SC and ST students from existing rate of Rs 46 to Rs 55 per boarder per day for diet including cleaning charges”. He also proposed to increase all the existing 28 pension schemes including State contribution to three National Pension Schemes by Rs 100 per month per beneficiary. This will approximately involve Rs 39 crores per year and will likely benefit 3,25,000 beneficiaries.Moreover, five new pension schemes for folk Artists, carpenters, blacksmiths, potter and Harijon (non Government employees) belonging to SC community, at a monthly rate of Rs 700 per beneficiary. Ration money for State Police, TSR, Watch and Ward staffs of Jails, Fire service personnel and Home Guards by has been raised by Rs 100 from exiting rate of Rs 700 while monthly honorarium to SPOs increased by Rs 500 to Rs 5656.
He also proposed to increase subsidy available under the Swavalamban scheme from existing amount of Rs 75000 to Rs 1,00,000 per project. Fund for Bidhayak Unnayan Prakalpa was also increased from Rs 30 Lakhs to Rs 35 Lacks per year.
