Agartala: Jan 30: On Thursday, two members of the Pradesh Congress met with the members of the 16th Finance Commission at their invitation. During the meeting, the Congress delegation presented a memorandum to the members of the Commission and discussed various issues related to the interests of the state. The Pradesh Congress President, Ashish Kumar Saha, briefed the media about the meeting in a press conference held at the Pradesh Congress office.
Saha highlighted the socio-economic challenges faced by the state, particularly in terms of revenue generation. He pointed out that Tripura is significantly weak in revenue collection, which is hindering the state’s development. Therefore, the Congress party has demanded that the central government allocate 50% of the revenue for the state to aid in its growth. Saha also emphasized that the state’s debt burden is increasing day by day, further stalling development efforts.
Additionally, the Congress delegation raised several key issues with the Finance Commission, including the need to improve the navigability of various rivers in the state and construct embankments along the riverbanks. They also requested an increase in grants for the government-acquired organizations and greater financial allocations for the ADC (Autonomous District Council) areas.
The Congress party also called for direct financial allocation from the Finance Commission to autonomous bodies. Another key demand was related to government employees, with Saha pointing out that despite provisions in the 7th Pay Commission, many employees have not received their entitled benefits. The regularization process for irregular employees has come to a halt, leaving them excluded from the 8th Pay Commission benefits.
Saha also raised concerns over the state’s new pension scheme, calling for the reinstatement of the old pension scheme in Tripura. He further mentioned that around 28,000 vacancies exist in various government departments, and instead of filling these posts, outsourcing is being used, bypassing reservation policies. A total of 12 proposals were submitted to the Finance Commission on behalf of the Pradesh Congress.
