September 19, 2018: Chief Minister, Biplab Kumar Deb met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in North Block in New Delhi today and held discussion on funds needed for implementation of 7th CPC. Deb also discussed prevailing fiscal condition of the State. He also met Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan today in Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. His meeting with Paswan is likely to usher new dawn for farmers of Tripura.
Biplab Deb held discussion with Arun Jaitley on issues pertaining to implementation of 7th CPC for State Government employees and pensioners. Biplab Deb requested Jaitley to release special assistance of Rs 1500 crore to enable the state government to fulfill the commitment made to the people of Tripura as per the Vision Document. Finance Minister assured that the matter would be promptly looked into by the Ministry.
Biplab Deb also appraised Jaitley of fiscal condition of the State. Deb mentioned to the Finance Minister that NITI Aayog had made a recommendation to the Ministry of Finance for releasing an amount of Rs 358.70 crore to the Government of Tripura, under Special Plan Assistance for completion of 81 ongoing projects and requested the Finance Minister for early release of funds.
In meeting with Paswan, Deb highlighted necessity of FCI procurement from State as so long, FCI did not procure from farmers of the State, farmers missed the opportunity to sell their produces at MSP. Biplab Kumar Deb discussed the issues relating to paddy procurement by FCI in Tripura. The Chief Minister requested the Paswan to help Tripura in achieving the objective of ‘Doubling the farmers income by 2022’.
State Government’s proactive step to ensure procurement by FCI would provide remunerative prices to small and marginal farmers of Tripura. Deb also conveyed the keenness of the State Government to help FCI in procurement of paddy from the State in the coming Aman harvest season (November-December, 2018) of the State.
Biplab Deb also mentioned, the State produces 12 lakh MT of paddy (equivalent to 8.5 lakh MT of Rice). In addition to this, the State receives about 2.5 lakh MT of Rice for PDS from FCI for BPL/APL families in the State.
Deb urged the Union Minister that if this 2.5 lakh MT of Rice could be procured by FCI from the State at MSP, the farmers of the State would stand to gain about Rs 150 crore annually. Further, Chief Minister also apprised the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution that the State Government is shortly going to issue Rice mill licenses for setting up of 80 Nos. small rice mills and 6 Nos. large sized mills in the State. This will facilitate milling of rice within the State itself. The Union Minister agreed with the proposal of Biplab Deb. Accordingly it was decided that a high level FCI team would be deputed to initiate the process of procurement of rice by FCI in the coming Aman harvest season of the State.
