Agartala/UNI: Amid ruckus and continuous protest by the opposition, Tripura Finance Minister Pranajit Singharoy on Friday tabled a budget of Rs 27654.4 crore with a deficit of Rs 611.3 crore for the 2023–24 financial year.

Presenting the budget, Singharoy said the budget has shown an increment of 9.87% over last year’s revised estimate, and capital expenditure is proposed to increase by 22.28%.

"Besides austerity measures and cost-cutting approaches to meet the deficit, the Tripura government wouldn’t go for open market borrowing and decided to restrict the net borrowing to 3% of GDP, which is within the target of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003," Singharoy said.

The minister projected the state’s tax revenue collection to the tune of Rs 3360 crore and Rs 450 crore from non-tax revenue. The budget proposed as many as 13 new welfare schemes, including a universal health insurance scheme for all (CM Jana Arogya Yojana).

Apart from this, an integrated crop management programme, a sports development scheme, a tribal development mission, a students’ achiever scholarship, a skill development scheme, a free scooter for 100 girl toppers in Class XII, a satellite town development scheme, and the setting up of a centre for artificial intelligence were also proposed in the budget.

He also stated that facilities for public WiFi will be provided in 300 villages, a 59-bed addiction centre will be established next year in all eight district hospitals, and a unity mall will be constructed in Agartala for Rs 100 crore to display and sell the unique products of Tripura, Singharoy added.