Pre Budget Consultation: Rs. 700 Cr allocated for Tripura & demands for 2023-24 placed
Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma today attended a pre-budget consultation meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi today. The Deputy Chief Minister had thanked the Union Finance Minister for increasing the allocation under Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital Investment’ by over six-folds to 1 lakh crore, out of which 700 crore rupees has been allocated for Tripura under the scheme for various projects in the financial year 2022-23.
The Deputy Chief Minister had submitted few demands to the Union Finance Minister for the upcoming Union Budget of 2023-24. These demands include setting up of AIIMS like institution in Agartala Government Medical College Hospital Complex which will immensely benefit people of the state with prime health care facilities and hence boost health tourism, allocation of 414 crore rupees for establishment of Dental College in Agartala, a special financial package of 500 crore rupees for accelerating all round development of TTAADC areas, setting up of an Integrated plant for production of Grey Fertilizer and Green Hydrogen in partnership with the Government of India (the plant will use emerging green technologies for producing grey fertilizer and green hydrogen using abundant natural gas and clean energy sources in the state), finding support of 100 crore rupees for Solar Micro Grids in rural and tribal areas (the state government plans to connect all the tribal hamlets which are still to be connected through power grid with solar micro grids in the next two to three years with an investment of 100 crore rupees), Dhaka-Agartala air connectivity, construction of alternate railway lines one between Pecharthal-Kailsahar-Dharmanagar and another between Belonia- Sabroom-Kailasahar for easy movement of goods and case to commute and allocation of 200 crore rupees for establishment of National Law University in Tripura.
In his tweet he wrote “Today attended the pre-budget consultation meeting of Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble Union Finance Minister, Government of India, in New Delhi.
During the meeting complimented Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble FM for giving a growth-oriented last budget of financial Year 2022-23 which focused on Infrastructure, Productivity, Energy Transition, with the overarching aim of increasing Capital Investment and Inclusive Development in the post pandemic recovery phase. Especially thanked her for increasing the allocation under ‘Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital Investment’ Submitted the following main demands for kind consideration of the Union Finance Minister in the upcoming Union Budget of 2023-24:
Setting up of AIIMS like Institution in Agartala Government Medical College Hospital Complex. The proposal will immensely benefit the people of the region by offering them premier healthcare facility and promote health tourism. Allocation of Rs. 414 Crore for establishment of Dental College in Agartala. State Government has already decided to set up a Dental College in Agartala. Grant of Rs 500 Cr for Sixth Schedule Area: A special financial package of Rs 500 Cr may be provided for accelerating all round and inclusive development of areas under the ‘Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council’. Setting up of an Integrated plant for production of Grey Fertilizer and Green Hydrogen in partnership with the Government of India. The plant will use emerging green technologies for producing grey fertilizer and green hydrogen using abundant natural gas and clean energy sources in the State. Funding support of Rs 100 Cr for Solar Micro Grids in rural and tribal areas. Tripura has taken leapfrog jump in use of renewal energy especially solar micro grid systems for lighting people’s houses in rural especially tribal areas. These efforts have been recognized by the Hon’ble Prime Minister through ‘Mann ki Baat’ and ‘Beneficiary Interaction’ programs. State Government plans to connect all the tribal hamlets (still to be connected through grid power), with solar micro grids in next two to three years with an investment of Rs 100 Cr. Dhaka (Bangladesh) – Agartala (India) Air connectivity: The State Government is providing Viability Gap Fund (VGF) for starting air connectivity from Chittagong (Bangladesh) to Agartala (India). On the similar line, Government of India is requested to provide Viability Gap Funding for starting ‘Agartala-Dhaka’ flight to increase trade, tourism and cultural ties between two countries. Construction of alternate railway lines, one between Pecharthal-Kailasahar-Dharmanagar and another between Belonia-Sabroom-Kailasahar for easy movement of goods and people in these areas.
Allocation of Rs. 200 Cr for establishment of National Law University in Tripura”.