The Chief Minister of Tripura, Dr. Manik Saha, announced a significant investment of Rs. 1000 crore to make the state a prominent national and international tourist destination.
During the 8th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Friday (May 27), the Chief Minister outlined the tourism promotion plan, which aims to enhance last-mile connectivity, establish accommodation facilities, develop infrastructure in tourist destinations, and strengthen the skills of the workforce engaged in the tourism sector.
Dr. Saha also revealed that the Tripura government intends to launch the “Tripura Medical Tourism Policy” in the near future. The policy aims to promote Tripura as a hub for wellness tourism by incentivizing the establishment of ayurvedic parks, panchakarma centres, yoga and wellness retreats, and naturopathy centres.
The NITI Aayog meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held at the Convention Centre, Pragati Maidan, under the theme “Viksit Bharat @ 2047: Role of Team India.” Several Union Ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Piyush Goyal, and Nirmala Sitharaman, as well as Chief Ministers and Lt Governors from various states, attended the meeting.
During his address, Dr. Saha also pointed out Tripura has been identified as the ‘First Mover’ in implementing the PM Gati Shakti scheme.
The Chief Minister revealed that eight projects amounting to Rs. 109.19 crore have been identified and forwarded to the relevant ministry for the promotion of industry and internal trade. Among these projects, the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, has already sanctioned four projects worth Rs. 35 crore. To support these endeavors, the Tripura Integrated Logistics Policy, 2022 has been formulated and notified on January 16, he said.
Another significant announcement was made by the Chief Minister pertained to the state government’s capital expenditure. He stated that the capital expenditure has witnessed a substantial increase, rising from Rs. 835 crore in 2020-21 to Rs. 2200 crore in the financial year 2022-23, representing an annual growth rate of approximately 62 percent.
He also shed light on the Tripura government’s plans for the development of the industrial sector. He disclosed that the state has identified more than 2000 acres of land for industrial development, Public-Private Partnership Projects, Special Economic Zone projects, and sector-specific projects focusing on rubber, agar, bamboo, and food processing. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide a loan to the State Government to upgrade 15 Industrial Estates.
Furthermore, The Chief Minister also touched upon various initiatives encompassing skill development, health and nutrition, women empowerment, infrastructure, MSMEs, and other sectors undertaken by the state government.
Dr. Saha concluded his speech expressing confidence that under the inspiring and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tripura will emerge as a developed state in the days to come.
