Agartala | Tripura Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma on Monday presented a tax-free and zero-deficit budget of Rs 17,530.46 crore for the fiscal 2019-20.
He later told reporters that the state government could achieve 14.5 per cent revenue growth compared to last last year, due to better tax management and administrative disciplines.
In the budget speech, Dev Varma, who is also the finance minister of the state, said the collection of own tax revenue is projected at Rs 2,048.95 crore, while non-tax revenue is estimated at Rs 285.21 crore in 2019-20.
The total receipts from the Centre is projected at Rs 12,764.30 crore in the budget estimate, and the total expenditure at Rs 17,530.46 crore, including revenue expenditure and capital expenditure.
The gross borrowings for 2019-20 is estimated at about Rs 2,430 crore, the minister said.
Dev Varma said the state government has decided to increase the social pensions from Rs 700 to Rs 1,000 per month in the first phase for certain categories of beneficiaries.
He said sugar at subsidised rates will be supplied to households under all categories in the next financial year.
Free smartphones will also be provided to students completing their graduation.
The minister said under the Mini Dairy scheme of NABARD, 10,000 cows (2 cows per family) to women members of 5,000 families will be provided to give a boost to milk production in the state, for which the Tripura government shall provide 100 per cent interest subvention.
A total of 1,867 check dams will be constructed, which will create “enormous” opportunities for pisciculture, drinking water supply and irrigation, he said.
Dev Varma added that 2,110 self-help groups will be formed and livelihood opportunities will be created for 52,030 families.
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