Agartala, March 16 (NationPress) The Finance Minister of Tripura, Pranajit Singha Roy, has unveiled a tax-free deficit budget amounting to Rs 34,212.31 crore for the fiscal year 2026-27, with a projected deficit of Rs 240.72 crore. The budget prioritizes infrastructure development, investment promotion, employment generation, and the enhancement of the health and tourism sectors.

Notably, this budget signifies a 5.52 percent increase compared to the budget estimates of 2025-26.

During the fiscal year 2026-27, the state government will allocate Rs 914.82 crore to the politically significant Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), reflecting an increase of 6.34 percent.

The crucial elections for the 30-member TTAADC are set for April.

“Our state government is steadfast on the path of progress. Enhancing infrastructure, fostering investment, generating employment, and advancing the health and tourism sectors are essential initiatives aimed at ensuring comprehensive socio-economic development for our people,” Roy stated during his nearly two-hour budget address.

He announced the creation of the Tripura Government Technical University, Tripura Government Women’s University, and the Tripura University of Health Sciences.

The budget also introduced an innovative program called “NAVCHETNA”, which aims to promote technology-focused education through Innovation and Technology Laboratories in educational institutions. This initiative will concentrate on Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), coding, and automation.

Additionally, the Finance Minister announced the launch of the “Mukhyamantri Antarjatik Kormosangstan Prokolpa” designed to facilitate overseas job opportunities for nursing, ITI, diploma, and graduate students. A Drone School is set to be established to offer professional training for drone pilots with DGCA-approved licenses.

In collaboration with the Ramakrishna Mission, a Foreign Language School will also be established in Agartala. To protect farmers from natural disasters, the crops of 96,000 farmers have been insured under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, as stated by Roy.

To address HIV/AIDS, 11 new Targeted Intervention programs, Link Workers, and NGOs have been identified to provide prevention and treatment services to high-risk groups. Six mobile vans are currently operational to conduct HIV diagnostic tests in remote areas.

Under the ‘Mission Shakti’ initiative, integrated support and assistance are being provided to women affected by violence, including medical and legal aid, temporary shelter with food, and psychosocial counseling.

Roy reported that One Stop Centres (OSCs) are now functional in all eight districts of Tripura, with the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development approving two additional OSCs.

According to Roy, the state attracted investment proposals totaling Rs 15,800 crore during the ‘Destination Tripura-Business Conclave’ held in Agartala and the ‘Rising North East Investment Summit’ in New Delhi in 2025-26. Of these proposals, 91 investment projects worth Rs 5,022 crore have been initiated in the last year.

To further enhance investment momentum, the Destination Tripura-Business Meet 2026 is scheduled for May 2026.

Roy also highlighted that numerous tourism infrastructure projects are currently being developed under an Externally Aided Project (EAP) financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Thanks to the government’s initiatives, tourist arrivals in Tripura surged to 6,50,772 in 2025-26 (up to February 2026), a substantial increase from 5,29,815 in 2018-19.