In a session that balanced fiscal caution with ambitious social welfare, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy on Friday tabled a ₹32,423.44 crore “tax-free” budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Stepping away from institutional jargon, the budget’s core message for Agartala and other urban and rural areas across the State is clear: a massive 19.14% surge in capital expenditure aimed at long-term growth, coupled with a 3% Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for government employees.
From the introduction of the Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana to the creation of a ‘Bharat Mata Canteen’ for rural travelers, the focus remains squarely on ease of living and local dignity.
FM Highlights Holistic Development
Roy presented a ₹32,423.44 crore Budget for FY 2025-26, focusing on inclusive development, women empowerment, strengthening of roads, education, and health infrastructure, besides addressing various social welfare issues. Roy did not propose to impose any new taxes.
The second Budget of the BJP-led government’s second term shows a deficit of ₹429.56 crore, and the budget for the year 2025-26 sees an increase of 16.61 per cent.
This budget represents a strategic pivot for the Manik Saha-led government. Historically, Tripura’s budgets have focused on sustaining administrative costs and basic infrastructure.
The 2025-26 roadmap, however, introduces highly specific “human-centric” interventions—such as the ₹5,000 monthly pension for the mentally challenged and the ₹15 crore Computer-Based Exam Centre at Hapania.
By addressing the “out-of-pocket” struggles of its citizens—whether it’s the cost of a daughter’s wedding or the expense of traveling to Delhi for a job exam—the state is attempting to build a “Viksit Tripura” through micro-level social security rather than just macro-level road building.
Schemes for Girls, Women and Agriculture
The finance minister announced a new scheme, ‘Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana’. Under this scheme, the state government would cover the cost of marriage for a girl child from an ‘Antyodaya’ (poor) family, and an amount of ₹50,000 would be spent by the state government.
“Mass marriage would be conducted at the Subdivision level. An amount of ₹10 crore is allocated for this purpose.”
He also announced another scheme, ‘Mukhyamantri Balika Samriddhi Yojana’, under which an investment of ₹50,000 would be made against a newborn girl child of an ‘Antyodaya’ (poor) family. The amount can be encashed at maturity after the girl attains 18 years of age.
A budget provision of ₹15 crore is allocated for this scheme for the year 2025-26.
In his Budget speech, Roy proposed to launch ‘Mukhyamantri Sashya Shyamala Yojana’ during 2025-26 to promote high-yielding varieties of crops.
A budget provision of ₹5 crore is allocated initially for the scheme for the year 2025-26.
Affordable Night Shelter and Subsidized Food
“To make sure that people from other parts of the state who get stuck due to various reasons get accommodation at night in Agartala city and also get subsidized food at night,” the finance minister said, proposing the establishment of ‘Bharat Mata Canteen cum Night Shelter’ in Agartala.
A budget provision of ₹2 crore is allocated for the project.
Support for Mentally Challenged Persons
Roy announced that the government would launch the ‘Chief Minister’s Scheme for Mentally Challenged Persons’, under which mentally challenged individuals would receive a monthly pension of ₹5,000.
Those who are already receiving ₹2,000 per month as a disability pension will get an additional ₹3,000 per month.
An amount of ₹40 crore has been allocated for this scheme.
The finance minister stated that during 2025-26, at least 20,745 hectares of rubber plantation would be taken up under the ‘Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission’.
Additionally, at least 10 rubber processing units would be constructed.
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Measures for Enhancing Tax Collection
Roy said that the state government has taken up different initiatives for improving tax revenue collection.
These include: Opening of GST Gyan Kendra, Use of analytical tools for identifying fraud and Deployment of the Tax Intelligence Unit, among others.