New Delhi
Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a special package to overcome a “severe financial burden” the new government is saddled with, an official said.
Mr Deb met several other central ministers at their Parliament house offices and sought special financial package from the Centre to surmount the severe financial crisis of the state,” an official of the Tripura Chief Minister’s secretariat said.
The BJP led government in Tripura on Sunday also published a white paper here specifying that the previous Left Front government left behind Rs 11,356 crore liabilities and fiscal deficits.
The official said that the Chief Minister during his four-day visit to New Delhi would also meet Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for PMO and Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh and other central leaders, including BJP President Amit Shah.
The special package is also required to implement one of the party’s most populist pre-poll promises — to raise the salaries and allowances of the state government employees at par with the proposals of the Seventh Central Pay Commission.
Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarma, who also holds the Finance portfolio, told the media that the new government is facing fiscal deficit and liabilities of Rs 11,356 crore. “We have inherited the financial burden from the previous Left Front government.”
To increase the salaries and allowances of the 2.18 lakh state government employees and pensioners in line with the proposals of the Seventh Pay Commission, an additional Rs 1,460 crore annual financial assistance is required.
“Despite the financial crisis, the BJP government would fulfil its pre-poll promises at any cost,” the Deputy Chief Minister added.
“The new state government has adopted a three-pronged strategy to beat the fiscal deficit and crisis, besides ensure all-round development of the state and welfare of the people,” Debbarma added.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, the three-pronged strategy includes balanced and restrained expenditure, increasing revenue and enhanced collection of revenue, and seeking central financial aid.
