Rajya Sabha MP from Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb demanded early completion of Sonamura-Daudkandi inland waterway connecting Tripura with Bangladesh.
He also demanded the release of 12 per cent share of Tripura from the fund allocated for North Eastern Council (NEC) while speaking in the Parliament on Thursday (Dec 22).
Continuing to raise issues of Tripura in the Parliament, Deb drew attention of DoNER Minister G Kishan Reddy regarding release of 12 per cent Tripura’s share of the funds allocated for NEC.
In this connection, Deb said, “Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Act East Policy changed to Look East policy and the budgetary allocations of the region was almost doubled from Rs 36,000 crore to Rs 68,000 crore”.
He continued and said, “As a result, the unprecedented development program undertaken for the North Eastern region is being implemented successfully in all sectors.”
The Rajya Sabha MP also drew the attention of the concerned Union Ministry on Sonamura-Daudkandi inland waterway. He demanded the Centre to discuss the obstacles found after the first trial run with the concerned ministry of the neighbouring Bangladesh nation. He demanded the centre to start transportation at the earliest by accessing the Sonamura-Daudkandi international route.
The trial run for the first export consignment from Bangladesh to Tripura, through the inland waterways was conducted on 3–5 September 2020. The vessel MV Premier was flagged off from Daudkandi in Bangladesh’ Chattogram, and was received at Sonamura in Tripura in the presence of the then Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.
Referring to obstacles found during the trial run, Deb said, Dredging works are required for successful movements of boats. Dredging was required on the river on Bangladesh side also – and the India Government told the Bangladesh government that it would carry out the dredging works. Bangladesh Government informed its Indian counterpart that they would carry out the dredging activities. However, the works have not started, so far.
He demanded the Indian government to discuss the matter with the Bangladesh government and start the dredging work at the earliest for the functioning of the Sonamura-Daudkandi inland waterway soon.
The RS MP informed the House that a floating jetty was already set up by the Ministry of Shipping of India at Sonamura, before the trial run. At present, construction of making permanent jetty is going on full swing.
Deb hoped that once the commercial transport on this waterway starts, the trading between the two countries will be enhanced, which perhaps will also put impetus to the trading flow of Tripura and other North-East states of the country.