Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has announced a significant initiative aimed at bolstering the state's economy and to promote the tourism sector of the state.

On Saturday, he revealed that a total of eight projects, amounting to Rs. 109.19 crore, have been identified and forwarded to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the Government of India and as well as  the state government is investing Rs.1000.00 crore for the promotion of Tripura

The proposed projects are expected to have a positive impact on Tripura's economic growth and development, the Chief Minister said this while addressing a meeting of Niti Aayog in New Delhi.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the state government launched  a vision document named LAKSHYA 2047 laying the road map of development for the State till 2047 has been launched on 21st January, 2022 on the occasion of Tripura’s 50th Statehood Day.

Talking about Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the CM said the development of MSME has provided an impetus to the cross-border trade between Tripura and Bangladesh as it shares 84% of its border with Bangladesh.

"The State Government has been supporting MSME through implementation of various schemes in the State. The industrial units which are using Bamboo, Rubber, Tea, Agri, Horticultural produce and Gas as their major raw materials in production are thrust sectors. These sectors are eligible to get additional capital subsidy, lower power tariff and easy access to industrial estates etc under the State incentive scheme called “Tripura Industrial Investment Promotion Incentive Scheme (TIIPIS), 2022", said CM.

He also informed that to make Tripura the main hub for the Agarwood trade in the country The State Government has released Tripura Agarwood Policy, 2021 to tap about Rs. 2000 crore of ‘Agar economy’ by 2025.

He said that the State Government has substantially increased its Capital Expenditure from Rs. 835.00 crore during 2020-21, to Rs. 2200 crore in the financial year 2022-23, with annual growth of about 62%", said CM Dr Saha.

Addressing the gathering the State has also identified over 2000 acres of land for industrial development, Public Private Partnership Projects, Special Economic Zone projects and Sector Specific Projects on Rubber, Agar, Bamboo and Food Processing etc. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to extend a loan to the State Government to upgrade 15 Industrial Estates.

The State has also brought down Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to 1% to reduce air fare for travelers. In addition, the State Government has given a subsidy of Rs. 14.00 crore per annum for air connectivity between Agartala (India) and Chittagong (Bangladesh) which would not only boost air travel between the two countries but also give fillip to the hospitality and health services sector in the State.

On the Women empowerment Tripura Government has laid stress most and speaking about this, the CM has said that the state has formulated a comprehensive “Tripura State Policy for Empowerment of Women-2022” which contains measures for promoting empowerment of women in the State".

He also said that there are 4, 16,292 active women members from rural poor families who have been mobilized into 46,475 women Self Help Groups (SHGs), 1950 Village Organizations (VOs) and 88 Cluster Level Federations (CLFs).

The State Government is also working tirelessly to improve infant, child & maternal health, build stronger immune systems, ensure safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases, reduce anemia, prevent wasting/stunting in children and increase longevity.

"The State has taken up initiatives like “Chief Minister’s Poshan Abhiyaan” to ensure additional nutritional support for the Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) children. We have also introduced “Mukhya Mantri Sustha Saisab Sustha Kaishore Abhiyan (MSSSKA)” which provides micronutrient supplementation to children from six months till 19 years of age, etc", he said.

The CM in his speech further informed that the government is investing Rs.1000.00 crore for the promotion of Tripura as a major national and international tourist destination by improving the last mile connectivity.

"The State Government is going to launch “Tripura Medical Tourism Policy” soon to promote Tripura as a centre of wellness tourism by incentivizing setting up of Ayurvedic parks, panchakarma centres, yoga & wellness retreats and naturopathy centres", he said.

Dr Saha has informed that Tripura has been graded as a fast mover for effective implementation of PM-Gati Sakti Scheme for convergence.

Apart from this Dr Saha said a total of 8 (eight) projects totaling to an amount of Rs. 109.19 crore has been identified and sent to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India. Out of these, 4 (four) projects totaling to an amount of Rs.35.00 crore have been sanctioned by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

"We are confident that under the inspiring and dynamic leadership of our respected Prime Minister, Narendra Bhai Modi ji, Tripura would emerge as a developed State in the coming days", he added.