Tripura CM Saha urges FM Sitharaman to raise loan cap for externally aided projects

New Delhi/Agartala, Oct 13 Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and requested her to increase the cap on loan amounts for Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) to undertake many ambitious projects in the state, an official said.

An official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that during the meeting, the Chief Minister discussed the necessity of enhancing the ceiling limit of Externally Aided Projects (EAPs).

The Chief Minister also highlighted that several crucial projects under the Urban Development Department, Tourism Department, and Agartala Municipal Corporation are currently awaiting progress due to the existing ceiling restriction on EAPs, the official said.

He said that Saha also urged the Union Finance Minister to consider releasing additional funds to help reduce the Dearness Allowance (DA) gap between the state government and the Central government employees.

While addressing an official function in Agartala recently, the Chief Minister had said that he has requested the Centre to remove the cap on loan amounts for EAPs to undertake many ambitious projects.

“There are many states where such a cap does not exist. But in our case, due to many ongoing development works, we are facing issues because of this cap,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tripura Forest and Environment Minister Animesh Debbarma recently said that the state government has been implementing three EAPs to protect the forests and to provide livelihood for the forest dwellers as well.

He said that of the three externally aided projects, one was funded by the Government of Japan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a soft loan.

The other was a grant from the Federal Republic of Germany through KFW, and the third one is a World Bank-funded Rs 1,764.94 crore project. The World Bank is funding a Rs 1,764.94 crore project called the Enhancing Landscape and Ecosystem Management (ELEMENT) Project in Tripura.

This World Bank-funded project focuses on forest management, community development, and enhancing livelihoods in the state.

The project also aims to create jobs for youth and women by promoting forest-based entrepreneurship, Minister Debbarma had said.

--IANS

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