Dr Manik Saha meets Sitharaman, seeks funds to narrow DA gap
Agartala, October 14: Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has appealed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to consider releasing additional funds to bridge the Dearness Allowance (DA) gap between state and central government employees.
Dr. Saha met the Finance Minister in New Delhi on Monday, during which he also requested an increase in the loan ceiling for Externally Aided Projects (EAPs), aiming to expedite several key developmental initiatives across the state, officials said.
An official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated that the discussion focused on raising the ceiling limit for EAPs, which is currently restricting the progress of critical projects under the Urban Development Department, Tourism Department, and the Agartala Municipal Corporation.
Addressing a recent function in Agartala, Dr. Saha emphasized the need to remove the cap on EAP loans, pointing out that many other states operate without such restrictions.
“Due to the ongoing developmental works in Tripura, the current cap poses challenges for timely execution of projects,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, IANS Reported, Tripura Forest and Environment Minister Animesh Debbarma highlighted the state government’s efforts in implementing three major EAPs aimed at forest conservation and livelihood generation for forest-dependent communities.
One of these projects is funded by the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a soft loan, while another receives a grant from the Federal Republic of Germany through KFW. The third, a World Bank-funded project worth Rs 1,764.94 crore, is titled Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management (ELEMENT) Project.
The ELEMENT Project focuses on sustainable forest management, community development, and livelihood enhancement. It also aims to generate employment opportunities for women and youth by promoting forest-based entrepreneurship, Minister Debbarma added.
