Opposition Tipra Motha, CPI(M) criticise Tripura govt’s budget proposal, flag unspent funds

While lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his flagship schemes and developmental projects, the Tipra Motha leader said the Tripura government was moving in the wrong direction.

Comparing the current budget estimates with last year’s budget proposal, Debbarma said, “It is not that different from last year’s budget or the budgets in the last 5-6 years. What is the intention and aim of this budget? Let the people of Tripura know.”

Stating that the government has rechristened the ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) category as ‘Priority Group’, the Opposition leader claimed that 29 lakh out of the estimated 40-41 lakh population in the state belonged to the ‘Priority Group’ as per official records.

Further claiming that the aim of ‘Ek Tripura, Srestha Tripura’ will not be achieved without allocating enough funds for the development of backward communities, Debbarma said, “Why are tribals not able to become self-sufficient? About 3.91 per cent of the budget outlay was allocated for tribal welfare in the last financial year. It is 4.18 per cent this time. Can tribals become self-sufficient with this money?”

Targeting the government for outsourcing the job of handling crop insurance activities to private companies, the Opposition leader said, “Farmers who were insured did not get benefits after untimely rainfall a few days ago. If the job was given to public insurance firms, this issue would have been handled properly.”

Debbarma claimed the budget has hardly anything to offer to the agriculture sector. Thereafter, the Opposition leader flagged a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that noted 26 per cent of funds remained unspent from the previous budget.

Debbarma also raised the issue of a 26 per cent gap in Dearness Allowance (DA) between central and state government employees.

CPI(M) legislative party leader Jitendra Chaudhary also attacked the government over unspent funds and said, “The CAG report showed that 26-33 per cent funds were unspent in different departments… this is because the government has no direction, no plan, and there is looting in every department.”

He further alleged that budgetary funds remained unspent despite Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha holding 25 portfolios, and claimed that there was an utter lack of monitoring in most departments.