Agartala: The Tripura government on Monday presented a Rs 34,212 crore budget for the financial year 2026–27 in the state Assembly, projecting a fiscal deficit of Rs 240 crore while retaining the existing tax structure without introducing any new levies.

Tabling the budget, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy said the size of the budget represents an increase of 5.52 per cent compared with the previous financial year.

According to the budget estimates, allocations under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) have been fixed at Rs 7,542.06 crore, accounting for 39.39 per cent of the total outlay. A significant portion of these funds will be utilised in areas governed by the Sixth Schedule. The minister also informed the House that Rs 914.82 crore would be provided to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.

On the revenue account, the state expects receipts of Rs 26,881.99 crore against expenditure of Rs 25,266 crore, resulting in a surplus of Rs 1,615 crore. However, the capital account reflects a shortfall, with receipts estimated at Rs 7,089.60 crore compared with projected expenditure of Rs 8,945 crore, leaving a deficit of Rs 1,856.32 crore.

Overall, the state’s total receipts are estimated at Rs 33,972 crore against total expenditure of Rs 34,212 crore, resulting in the projected fiscal deficit of Rs 240 crore.

The Tripura Assembly had earlier approved a budget of Rs 32,423 crore for the previous fiscal year, which was later revised to Rs 32,995.35 crore. Compared with the revised estimates, the new budget represents an increase of slightly over 3.5 per cent.

The government has allocated Rs 8,945 crore for capital expenditure across sectors, higher than the Rs 7,903.26 crore provided in the previous year’s budget estimates. However, the revised estimates for the last fiscal placed capital expenditure at Rs 10,468.68 crore, indicating a decline of about 17 per cent when compared with the revised figures.

Capital expenditure accounts for 24.56 per cent of the total outlay and is the second largest component of spending after salaries and wages. Excluding loan repayment provisions, Rs 8,401.59 crore has been earmarked for capital spending.

The largest share of the expenditure will go towards salaries and wages of government employees, for which Rs 8,912.29 crore has been allocated, accounting for 26.05 per cent of the total budget. Pension and retirement benefits will require Rs 4,115 crore, representing 12.03 per cent of the outlay.

Interest payments and loan repayments together account for about six per cent of the budget, with Rs 1,495.61 crore allocated for interest payments and Rs 544.33 crore for loan repayments. The remaining Rs 10,743 crore has been distributed across other expenditure heads.

The budget indicates that more than 44 per cent of the total outlay will be spent on salaries, wages, pensions, retirement benefits, interest payments and loan repayments, leaving the rest for sectoral investment and development programmes.

Sector-wise, education receives the largest allocation at Rs 6,439.56 crore, nearly 19 per cent of the total budget. Expenditure on pensions and debt servicing amounts to Rs 6,154 crore, or 17.99 per cent of the outlay. Rural development has been allocated Rs 4,094.57 crore, accounting for 11.97 per cent.

The health and tribal welfare sectors have been allocated Rs 2,442.50 crore and Rs 1,567.36 crore respectively, while agriculture will receive Rs 1,985.61 crore.

On the revenue side, the largest share of receipts is expected from Tripura’s share of central taxes and duties, estimated at Rs 11,850 crore, which accounts for 34.88 per cent of total receipts and marks an increase of around Rs 698 crore.

Centrally sponsored schemes are projected to contribute Rs 8,077 crore, an increase of about Rs 1,065 crore. Other major sources include the state’s own tax revenue estimated at Rs 4,020 crore, special assistance for capital investment pegged at Rs 3,408 crore, market loans and borrowings of Rs 3,397.60 crore, and other central assistance amounting to Rs 2,139.19 crore.

Singha Roy also told the Assembly that funds for infrastructure development would be mobilised through the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund and the Scheme for Special Assistance for Capital Investment. He reiterated that a substantial share of the Tribal Sub Plan allocation would be utilised in areas under the jurisdiction of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.

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