Agartala: President of India Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that Tripura and all the Northeastern states will play a crucial role in the country touching the milestone of a five trillion dollar economy within 2025.
Addressing the inaugural session of a host of development projects at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan, she said, “I am very happy to be here in Tripura after assuming the charge of the office. I always wanted to tour the Northeast region and I am grateful that in the initial days of my state tours I have got the opportunity to be in the Northeast. In my view, the Northeast is now an area of national interest. Today, India is among the biggest economic powers of the globe and a new goal has been set to touch the five trillion dollar economy milestone within 2025. And, I feel Tripura and the whole North East region has a big role to play in achieving the new target.”
According to her, this crucial responsibility will be shouldered by the young and ignited minds of this region. “The hardworking people of the Northeast region, especially the youth of the state, have a lot to contribute in this new direction. The qualities like aspiration, innovation and entrepreneurship are the keys to attaining success,” she added.
The President of India also lauded the role of the state government for bringing massive uplifting of the education sector to new heights of success. “With an 87 per cent literacy rate, Tripura is one of the leading states in the Northeast region in terms of education. I have been told that many people from different parts of the country come here to study Medicine, Engineering, Art and Music. The National Law University that is being set up here is the 25th of the state. These institutes have played a central role in upscaling law studies across the country. I hope this University in Tripura will become a Centre of Excellence in terms of law studies and research.”
President Murmu also appreciated the efforts of the Union Minister of Education and his whole team for the new IIIT campus she had laid the foundation stone of. “I am very glad to lay the foundation stone for the separate sprawling campus of the Indian Institute of Information Technology in the state. As per the guidelines formulated in the new National Education Policy, this institute will work wonders for the students aspiring to opt for information technology as their profession. Apart from higher education, the school education of Tripura has also seen a sea change with 100 schools being equipped with advanced facilities under Vidyajyoti Mission 100 programme,” she added.
Explaining Tripura’s development in the connectivity sector as a major boon to the sectors like Tourism and Trade, she said, “Tripura now getting access to more means of transport in terms of Highway, Railway, Airway and now Waterways. These developments will certainly help the state draw more tourists and massive augmentation in the sector of trade and commerce. I will also flag off two new trains from Agartala railway state that will connect Tripura with Kolkata and Manipur’s Khongsang.”
The President also recalled Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore’s association with Tripura royal family and said, “The Pushpabanta palace which is going to be converted into Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Museum and Cultural Centre is a palace of historical importance. I am told that Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore stayed in the sprawling palace built by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Maniky as the royal family of Tripura used to share a good friendship with Gurudev.”
During the function which was also attended by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, Union Minister of state Social Justice and Empowerment Partima Bhoumik, Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath and Transport Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, the President of India inaugurated a number of projects and laid foundation stones for a slew of newly sanctioned projects.
The newly built MLA hospital in the vicinity of Tripura State Legislative Assembly was formally inaugurated on the occasion while foundation stones were laid for projects like nine new girls’ hostels, the Digital Museum of Pushpadanta palace, 15 storied administrative building at Gurkhabasti etc.
Earlier, the President of India attended an interaction session with the Tea garden workers at Durgabari tea estate. She was accorded the Guard of Honour by Tripura State Rifle troops at the Airport on his arrival at 11:15 am. Governor SN Arya, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik welcomed the President on his maiden two-day state tour at MBB Airport Agartala.
Meanwhile, a civic reception event will be organized at Agartala Town Hall in the evening.
The President will flag off the express trains on Thursday and also offer prayers at the Sundari temple before leaving for Assam. She is scheduled to leave the state at 11:40 am on Thursday.
Also read | ‘Can you identify the CM?’: Murmu interacts with tea garden workers in Tripura