Agartala (Tripura) [India], July 25 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said that he has requested the Central Government to increase the funding cap for externally aided projects, so that development work is not halted.
He also criticised the previous government for destroying the cultural and religious tourism monuments of the royal families and said that the BJP-led government is now restoring and developing them in a new way.
According to a CMO statement, "At present, we are allowed to receive up to Rs 4,000 crore under externally aided projects, which is not sufficient for the state. I have written letters and spoken to the Central Government, requesting an increase in this cap so that development work is not halted. We have been consistently working towards the state's development and therefore need the upper limit to be raised", said Saha.
He said, "There is a lot of potential in the field of tourism in the state of Tripura. The state government is giving special priority to the development of the tourism industry. The state's tourism industry needs to be further promoted and expanded. The previous government had destroyed the cultural and religious monuments of the Maharajas that were used for tourism. Now the BJP-led government is restoring them and developing them in a new way."
CM Saha laid the foundation stone for the development of tourism infrastructure at Kamalasagar and the Chaturdash Devta Temple within the Kasba Kalibari Complex, under the Sepahijala District.
At the event, the Chief Minister stated that previously, it was challenging to access the Kasbeshwari Temple from the national highway due to poor road conditions. Therefore, he spoke to the secretaries and engineers of the Public Works Department for the development of this road.
Speaking to ANI, CM Shah added, "Tripura is brimming with tourism potential, one of which is religious tourism. We are developing the infrastructure of the Kasbeswari Temple and the Chaturdasha Devata Temple. These are very old temples. But earlier, during the CPI(M) era, no attention was given to them. This will benefit the youth of this region, shopkeepers will benefit. People will also learn about Tripura's handlooms and handicrafts. Eco-tourism will also grow. Our tourism department is doing excellent work in this direction."
"Accordingly, this 13-kilometre-long road was developed at a cost of about Rs 34 crore. And now, in a very short time, one can visit the temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised the importance of infrastructure development. In line with his direction, we are also focusing on infrastructure development with special emphasis. In this year's budget, about Rs 7,000 crore has been allocated for infrastructure development," said CM Saha.
Speaking at the event, CM Saha said that in addition to ADB, important projects are being implemented with the financial assistance of the World Bank.
"Because if you spend money, money will come. Along with the beautification of the tourism sector, people from outside will also come here. This will improve the quality of life and livelihood. Attention will be paid to ensure that the infrastructure development of the two religious tourist centres, the foundation stone of which was laid today, is of high quality. A large number of people gather at the Bhadra Mela organised at the Kasbeshwari Temple. Similarly, the traditional seven-day Kharchi Fair and Festival organised at the Fourteen Deities Temple also attracts lakhs of people," he said.
He also stated that this government has placed special emphasis on infrastructure development.
"Earlier, tourism was declared an industry, but it was not worked on in that way. However, the current government has prioritised improving the quality of life and increasing employment by developing the tourism industry. Tripura will further develop this initiative in the future through the growth of the tourism industry. A few days ago, the foundation stone of the 51 Shakti Peeth Park was laid in Banduar, Udaipur. Once it is developed, the tourism industry of the state will expand further," said CM Saha.
Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, Sepahijala Zila Sabhadhipati Supriya Das Dutta, MLA Antara Sarkar Deb, MLA Ratan Chakraborty, Secretary of the Tourism Department Uttam Kumar Chakma, District Magistrate Siddharth Shiv Jaiswal, Superintendent of Police Bijay Debbarma, Managing Director of Tourism Development Corporation Prashant Badal Negi, and other dignitaries were present.