FM Nirmala Sitharaman holds pre-budget consultations with state FMs; Tripura demands special financial package of Rs 500 Cr

Tripura's Finance Minister Jishnu Dev Varma on November 25 complimented Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the previous year budget for the financial year 2022-23 and said that it was a growth oriented budget which focused on Infrastructure, Productivity, Energy Transition, with the overarching aim of increasing capital investment and inclusive development in the post pandemic recovery phase.

Participating in the pre-budget consultations meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Jishnu Dev Varma demanded consideration for 8 projects including a special financial package of Rs 500 crore  for accelerating all round development of 'Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council'.

He especially thanked her for increasing the allocation under 'Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital Investment' by over six-fold to Rs. 1 lakh Crore. 

Tripura has got an allocation of over Rs 700 Cr under the scheme for various projects during the current financial year 2022-23.
The Finance Minister submitted some demands or kind consideration of the Union Finance Minister in the upcoming Union Budget of 2023-24.

His demand includes 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', said Jishnu Dev Varma.

He also demanded allocation of Rs. 414 Crore for establishment of Dental College in Agartala.He has also demanded a 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'", Dev Varma demanded.

Dev Varma also demanded for 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.The Finance Minister of Tripura has requested 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 Prime Minister through 'Mann Ki Baat' and 'Beneficiary Interaction' programs. State Government plans to connect all the tribal hamlets with solar micro grids in next two to three years with an investment of Rs 100 Cr", said Dev Varma.

He has also raised a demand of  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 and allocation of Rs. 200 Cr for establishment of National Law University in Tripura.