Agartala, Jan 31: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said that the state government has urged the 16th Finance Commission to increase the allocation of funds for the northeastern state.
In the recent devastating floods, the state has suffered a loss of Rs 15,000 crore, the chief minister said here.
“We have discussed various issues with the 16th Finance Commission. Besides, we have also explained why the state government has failed to provide DA to its employees on par with the central government employees. This was because of deprivation by the 14th Finance Commission,” he told the reporters here.
Saha said, “We have also apprised the FC about the infrastructure development carried out in the state. The 16th Finance Commission has appreciated the state’s fiscal discipline. It would have gone bankrupt had we not maintained discipline in fiscal management,” he said.
He said the government has also highlighted the state’s dense forest coverage (73 per cent) and shortage of plain land which is required for setting up big industries.
“Since the state absorbs more carbon dioxide because of dense forest coverage, we sought an increase in the special award from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. The 15th Finance Commission had introduced a 10 per cent special award to those states which have dense forest coverage,” the CM said.
The Finance Commission is just like an advisory body, the chief minister said, adding, “The state has urged the Commission to increase the award substantially to realise the goal of developed Tripura (viksit Tripura) by 2047.”
When asked if the state supports direct funding to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), Saha refused to elaborate on the matter.
Tipra Motha, an ally of the BJP-led coalition government and two major opposition parties- CPI(M) and Congress met the 16th Finance Commission on Thursday and sought direct funding to the autonomous tribal council.
On the implementation of the 8th Pay Commission, the chief minister said the government presented the matter before the Commission during the meeting.
The Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, Arvind Pangariya, is on a three-day visit to the state to hold meetings with the state government and other stakeholders, including political parties to hear their views. (PTI)
