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ADB Loan sanction haunts Tripura with further Tax burden fear : Scrapping Free Medical Services, Electricity Tariff hikes, Fuel hike, Job slashings causing public heartburns Statewide
TIWN Oct 12, 2019
ADB Loan sanction haunts Tripura with further Tax burden fear : Scrapping Free Medical Services, Electricity Tariff hikes, Fuel hike, Job slashings causing public heartburns Statewide
PHOTO : ADB Bank (File)

AGARTALA, Oct 12 (TIWN): With Asian Development Bank has sanctioned a hefty amount of loan for Tripura, now economists are afraid of what shock is coming from the Government in tax imposition form after imposing various taxes on Health Service, Electricity, VAT, cess on fuel etc. Tripura Govt’s source of income has become tax collection form the public, as Central Govt is suffering from national economic crisis situation. So with the first instalment of Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Rs 1,650 crore loan for infrastructure development in seven of the eight district headquarter towns in Tripura, has been approved.Important questions are being raised in various quarters that due to PM Narendra Modi’s inability to disburse adequate funds for Tripura, State Govt is being forced to take loans from Foreign Banks which needs to be paid back with interest, which is a huge burden for Tripura Taxpayers. First instalment of ADB loan for Development of 7 District Head Quarters approved by Government of India.

The Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India has given approval for first instalment of ADB Loan to take up Development of 7 District Headquarters (other than Agartala) through Urban Development Department, Government of Tripura. The total ADB Loan is ₹1650 Crores which will be available in next 3 years for the development of urban infrastructure in Kailashahar, Dharmanagar, Ambassa, Khowai, Belonia, Udaipur towns and also Bishramganj as District Headquarters.

The first instalment is sanctioned by Department it Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India on 10th Oct 2019 as Project Readiness Finance of $ 2.5 Million Dollars (₹ 17.75 Crores) which will be mainly used for conducting engineering survey, preparing estimates and DPRs for Road, water supply, drainage, Sewerage and major urban infrastructure works in these 7 towns.

With this sanction, the long awaited development of 7 district headquarters has got major push as each town will get about ₹200 - 250 Crores over next 3 years. This large scale infrastructure works will help in development of municipal services in the district headquarter towns.

In fact it has been informed by CM Biplab Deb himself that 30,000 free water connectivity have been given via revenue incomes which has increased from CPI-M Govt’s 9.8% to 26% now.  However, reason behind it said by CM at Agartala Town Hall on October 10 is GST and Transparency in the system.

Earlier, CPI-M criticized the BJP Govt for its initiative to take loans predicting it will be burden for the common men and the state, when Modi Govt promised a double-engine for the state’s development.

On yesterday, Tripura Congress launched a massive protest against increasing load-shedding problems in the state along with recently hiked 7.5% tariffs on the Electricity.

On the background of the protest, Congress leader, cum BJP’s former Vice President Subal Bhowmik said that this decision of the Govt is aimed to hit the common men, specially poor men.

“Congress condemn this decision of increasing electricity tariffs. Public will realize how much tariffs were increased by the Govt. This cruel decision was taken when whole media world to common men were busy in Durga puja celebrations. Govt must withdraw the decision immediately”, Subal Bhowmik said further mentioning about Govt another anti-people decision of scrapping free medical services from Govt hospitals.

At the same time various job slashing including JICA and other contractual employees are hitting the public.

Earlier on Sept 6, in a notification (claimed later as draft) Tripura Health Dept scrapped free medical services from all Govt hospitals, which erupted statewide massive protests.

Since in power at least 3 times the VAT charges were revised on petrol, diesel. In December 28, 2018 the revised rate imposed 23% VAT on petrol and 15.5% on diesel.

Hike in fuel increases each commodity prices. Overall Tripura public sufferings continue to rise tenfold with various burdens.

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