AGARTALA, June 24 (TIWN): Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb on Sunday while addressing in a mega-health camp in Dharmanagr said, zero-deficit budget will surely develop Tripura, but it was not easy for him to actualize. Addressing at the gathering there CM said, ‘Zero-deficit budget was unthinkable to economists before BJP Govt was in Tripura, but one economist told me to make a zero-deficit budget. Earlier above 1500 crores of deficit budget state Tripura witnessed, but today the budget has been placed as concrete which includes 7th pay commission”. However, Chief Minister didn’t mention whether social pensions will be hiked through this budget or MGNREGA wages will be hiked or not. Mocking at his advisers CM said, “Many people were scared asking me not to go for zero-deficit budget as in last year the deficit was huge. They warned me that I will fall in problem in coming days if I make zero deficit. Both Finance Minister and Finance Secretary said it's hard to make a zero-deficit budget. People also called me mad as Muhammad bin Tughluq after I proposed it but today we have shown how to make a zero deficit budget".In this regard, CPI-M Ex-Finance Minsiter Bhanu Lal Saha said, BJP Govt’s zero-deficit budget can only work a little for 7th Pay Commission.

Another CPI-M Ex-Minister Badal Choudhury who served as the Finance Minister for long said, “BJP even can’t give 7th pay commission with its deficit free budget. The budget and the Vision Document is opposite to each other”.

On the other side Congress leader Gopal Roy has called the budget as “Jumla”, whereas Birjit Sinha said, “Increasing tax on fuel, cooking gas was equal to cutting off one’s head”.

MP Jitendra Choudhury said, “The budget has both positive and negative sides. The positive decisions as hiking SC, ST stipends are welcomed whereas hike on fuel should not be”.

CPI-M leader Ex-Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar said, “The budget neither talked about MGNREGA wages hike nor social pension hike. Before the election, BJP promised to hike MGNREGA wage at minimum Rs. 340 and social pension at Rs. 2000 but the budget doesn’t speak about any of them”.

“The fund which has been kept for social pensions will not be enough for Rs. 700 per person and how they will fulfill demand of Rs. 2000 per head?”, another CPI-M leader MP Shankar Prasad Datta said.

However, CM said, he is  ‘confident’ on his Zero-Deficit budget amid MGNREGA, social pension hikes are under doubt.

Earlier, CM said that the budget is historical.