Agartala, September 21: Tripura’s financial landscape came under scrutiny today as Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy disclosed that the state’s outstanding loan on date stood at Rs 21,687.07 Crores.
He added that in additionally the state government is obligated to pay an annual interest of Rs 1,373.52 Crores, along with a repayment principle loan amounting to Rs 991.66 Crores.
Minister Singha Roy made these revelations during a press conference held at the secretariat on Thursday in presence of Finance Secretary Apurba Roy and Akinchan Sarkar, Additional Secretary of the department.
Highlighting the government’s efforts to secure funds for state development and welfare initiatives, the Minister clarified that some of the loans obtained were interest-free. Nevertheless, the cumulative annual interest burden on these loans has reached Rs 2,365.18 Crores.
The Finance Minister also reminded that when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2018, after toppling the 25-year rule of the CPIM-led Left Front government, the inherited state debt was Rs 12,902.73 Crores.
Furthermore, Singha Roy underscored the significant fiscal changes witnessed by Tripura in recent years.
He reported that in the 2017-18 fiscal year, the state’s budget amounted to Rs 15,956.56 Crores, with a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rs 43,716 Crores. However, in the fiscal year 2022-23, the budget has surged to Rs 26,892.67 Crores, accompanied by a remarkable 70% rise in the GSDP, which now stands at Rs 74,100 Crores.
This disclosure occurred along with the announcement of festival grants and festival advances for government employees in various categories, including Group C and D, ICDS workers, SPOs and home guards.
