Have asked Centre to lift cap on borrowing for big projects: Tripura CM

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said the state government has approached the Centre to lift the cap on borrowing as it will take up big projects.

As part of prudent fiscal management, the Centre has allowed Rs 4,000 crore borrowing for Tripura in the next three years.

While speaking at a programme in Udaipur, the chief minister said the state's budget was pegged at Rs 27,800 crore for the current fiscal (2024-25) and only Rs 10,000 crore remain left after meeting non-plan expenditures like salary, pension, loan and interest on loan.

"Of the Rs 10,000 crore, the state needs to provide 25 per cent to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADCA) and 10 per cent to urban local bodies," he said.

Saha said the Centre has allowed the state to borrow Rs 4,000 crore for the next three fiscals.

"We want the Centre to lift the borrowing cap of Tripura as the state is set to take up big projects with the investors coming for setting up business. The state has already taken up the issue with Delhi seeking withdrawal of cap in borrowing," he said.

The chief minister said in the recently concluded investors meet in Agartala altogether 87 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) valued at Rs 3,700 crore were signed during the business conclave.

Saha said the state needs to escalate its gear for flourishing tourism sector to boost the state's economy.

"We have to move forward with the promotion of tourism banking on the splendid nature, scope for adventure and religious tourism. If a person from Odisha can greet saying 'Jai Jagannath' to anyone, why we can't say 'Jai Tripurswari'. We must make it as word of mouth to promote Tripureswari temple," he said.

Tripurewari temple located in Gomati district is one of the Shakti Peeths.

Saha also exhorted the officials to keep daily monitoring of development works to ensure better delivery system up to grassroots level.