Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi arrived in Tripura on Wednesday for a three-day visit.
On the first day of her visit, she inspected the Agartala Integrated Land Port, which facilitates trade and transit between India and Bangladesh. She also interacted with the Jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), who guard the international border.
Speaking to the media, Minister Lekhi said that her visit was part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Act East” and “Neighborhood First” policies, which seek to enhance the cooperation and connectivity with the countries in the Northeast and Southeast Asia.
She said that the Prime Minister believes that the development of the entire country depends on the development of the Northeast region, which is rich in natural and human resources. She added that peace and harmony in the Northeast would benefit the whole nation, and that the Union Ministers frequently visit the states of the Northeast to monitor and expedite the development works.
The Minister was welcomed by the Manager of the Integrated Land Port, Debashish Nandi, and other senior officials of the Land Port and the BSF. The Director of Information and Culture Department, Bimbeswar Bhattacharjee, and the Joint Director Sanjib Chakma also accompanied her during the inspection.
The Minister was received by the Information and Culture Department on behalf of the state government at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in the morning. In the afternoon, she visited Udaipur to pay her respects at the Mata Bripureswari Temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in Hinduism.
Later in the evening, the Minister met with the Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and discussed various development related activities in the state. She also appreciated the efforts of the state government in preserving and promoting the rich and diverse culture of Tripura.