AGARTALA, Aug 20 � Tripura Government has sought financial assistance of Rs 14,600 crore from the Centre to tide over the unprecedented fiscal crisis triggered after announcement of 13th Finance Commission�s award.
However, the State Government wants financial assistance as interest free loan and reimbursement to minimise the shortfall in the State�s committed liabilities during the tenure of 13th Finance Commission. The State Government on Tuesday published a white paper highlighting the �deprivation�.
According to the white paper, the State had sought Rs 26,848.76 crore from the 13th FC to meet the non-plan expenditure for five years. �But the FC had awarded only Rs 16,349.13 crore resulting in a major shortfall in the State�s committed expenditures � salaries, pensions and interest on loan�, said State�s Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury at a press conference here on Wednesday.
Chowdhury said, the FC conventionally fixes State�s non-plan expenditure on the basis of State�s last financial year�s liabilities but the 13th FC did not maintain it leading to sharp shortfall in the outlay. �In case of Tripura, the 13th FC had fixed the outlay on the basis of 2005-06 financial year (FY) in stead of 2009-10 FY�, he pointed out.
Lamenting over the apathy to the State�s appeal for financial assistance, Chowdhury said, �We had met Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and tried to make him aware about the deprivation by the 13th FC but to no avail�, he said.
Now, the State Government wants the Centre to lend a helping hand so that the problem could be tackled, Chowdhury said adding that it would have adverse impact on the State�s economy if the Centre doesn�t come forward with holistic approach.
Chowdhury also criticised the Centre for putting cap on the State for borrowings to tide over the situation. �It is an attempt to put pressure on the State Governments which have not yet accepted the Centre�s Pension Rules and other anti-people decisions�, he said.
