The CAG or Comptroller and Auditor General of India report has mentioned that Tripura’s debt has exceeded Rs 20 thousand crore . There is increasing debt burden.
Also, Tripura’s exchequer is facing more difficulties in paying this amount with interest.
In 2020-21, Tripura’s total debt and deposits was Rs 21 thousand 83.10 crore.
This debt burden has increased to Rs 21 thousand 732.42 crore in the just ended financial year.
According to the CAG report and Finance Department sources, the Tripura government have to pay two kinds of interest.
Rs 1,382.67 crore they have to pay interest on money taken as small savings, provident fund and loans.
There is another area called Obligations. Rs 1,911.80 crore in this sector, the government has to pay interest of Rs 15.49 crore.
In 2021-22, the Government of Tripura paid Rs 1,379.53 crore as loan interest. As such, daily interest alone cost Tripura Rs 3.83 crore.
The opposition has also raised questions about how development work will be done there if so much interest is given.
Meanwhile, according to the report, the Finance Department has announced strict measures to reduce the debt burden. Debt burden of Tripura is increasing at the rate of 3.08 percent every year.
And last year alone Tripura had to pay Rs 3,342.62 crore to meet the principal plus interest.
A budget of Rs 26 thousand crore has been presented this year by the Manik Saha government.
“Debt burden of Tripura was Rs 13,000 crore at the time whe the Left Front government left in 2018. But BJP has almost doubled it in last five years” said opposition CPIM.
