Agartala, Mar 21 (PTI) Tripura Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy on Friday presented Rs 32,423.44 crore budget for 2025-26, proposing a total of 13 new welfare schemes to help job seekers, mentally challenged persons, visitors to the state capital and others.

No new tax was proposed in the budget with a deficit of Rs 429.56 crore.

In the budget, emphasis was given to capital expenditure by allocating Rs 7,903 crore to boost economy and generate employment.

Roy said the government will set up centres in Agartala, Udaipur and Ambassa to provide aspirants with quality coaching for various competitive examinations.

Noting that the government focuses on inclusive growth, the minister said, “More focus was given on capital expenditure in the budget by allocating Rs 7,903 crore which is Rs 7,000 crore in the budget for 2024-25. The focus on capital expenditure will boost infrastructure building and generate employment for the youth,” he said.

Roy said the government is set to establish a centre for computer-based examinations at Hapania International Fair ground in West Tripura so that the aspirants do not need to travel outside the state to appear in online examinations with a cost of Rs 15 crore.

He announced that the government will set up ‘Bharat Mata Canteen cum Night Shelter’ at Agartala so that the people coming to the state capital from different places could stay there.

“A budgetary outlay of Rs 2 crore has been sanctioned. This is an initial allocation and the government will look for suitable land later to set up Bharat Mata Canteen cum Night Shelter. The Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) will run the facility,” he said.

The minister proposed a scheme for mentally challenged persons under which they will be given a monthly pension of Rs 5,000.

“Various works for socio-economic development of ST people are being taken up under the World Bank-funded Tripura Rural Economic Growth and Service Delivery Project (TRESP)”, he said.

On the state’s debt burden, the minister said the state’s debt has increased to Rs 21,878.26 crore.

“We inherited a debt of Rs 12,903 crore from the Left’s regime. Now, we are trying to repay the loans. For the coming fiscal, the state could borrow Rs 1,225 crore as per Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management,” he said. PTI PS NN

No new tax: tax-free budget focuses on capital expenditure and new welfare schemes for job seekers and vulnerable groups. The budget proposes no new taxes and a managed fiscal deficit, emphasising increased capital expenditure to boost infrastructure and employment while acknowledging a rise in public debt and limiting further borrowing under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management framework. It introduces thirteen welfare initiatives including coaching centres for competitive exams, an in-state computer-based exam facility, a municipally run night-shelter-canteen for visitors, and a monthly pension for mentally challenged persons, and references externally funded projects for scheduled tribe development.