Shillong/Agartala, June 4 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday urged the Centre to enhance the funding ceiling for Externally Aided Projects (EAPs), introduce direct Agartala-Chittagong flight services, and provide a subsidy on natural gas to accelerate the state’s development and connectivity.

Addressing the 73rd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong, Saha said the Union Finance Ministry has fixed a ceiling of Rs 4,146 crore for Tripura under the EAP framework and requested that it be increased to Rs 10,000 crore to facilitate the approval of all projects currently in the pipeline.

The plenary session was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of State for DoNER Sukanta Majumdar, and the Governors and Chief Ministers of all eight Northeastern states.

The Chief Minister placed a series of demands before the Centre, including the operationalisation of direct Agartala-Chittagong (Bangladesh) flights, early commencement of the Badarpur (Assam)-Sabroom (southern Tripura) double-line railway project, a 40 per cent rebate on natural gas prices, establishment of an IT Park, and enhancement of allocations under the ‘Pride of Hills’ scheme from Rs 3,450 crore to at least Rs 6,000 crore annually for Tripura.

Highlighting the state’s development trajectory, Saha said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with the support of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura has made significant strides in socio-economic growth.

“We have doubled our Gross State Domestic Product over the past six years, while per capita income has reached the national average. The state has also received more than 350 national and regional awards in the last eight years for achievements across various sectors,” he said.

The Chief Minister noted that investment-friendly policies have helped attract investments worth over Rs 30,000 crore in the past year, while projects valued at more than Rs 8,000 crore have already been grounded. He added that over 200 startups have been recognised under the Tripura Startup Policy 2024.

Saha also highlighted progress in the healthcare sector, stating that improved medical infrastructure has reduced out-of-state patient referrals by 80 per cent. Over the past four years, MBBS seats in the state have increased from 225 to 550, while postgraduate medical seats have risen from 85 to 196.

On infrastructure, he urged the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to ensure quality road construction and prioritise four-laning of the Churaibari-Mugaikami, Agartala-Udaipur, and Udaipur-Amarpur stretches.

The Chief Minister further requested the extension of the runway at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, the operationalisation of Kailashahar Airport under the UDAN scheme, the introduction of electric passenger train services up to Sabroom, and the launch of a Vande Bharat Express connecting Agartala and Guwahati.

He also sought the establishment of an AIIMS in Agartala and urged the Ministry of DoNER to sanction an Information Technology Park and a World Skill Centre under the PM-DevINE scheme.

Referring to the recommendations of the Sixteenth Finance Commission, Saha noted that no Revenue Deficit Grant has been proposed for Tripura and appealed for enhanced support through the ‘Pride of Hills’ scheme to address the state’s developmental needs.

As Chairman of the High-Level Task Force on Investment Promotion in the Northeast, Saha also outlined strategies for attracting investment across the region. He highlighted key sectors in goods and services, identified challenges and mitigation measures, and presented development snapshots of all eight Northeastern states.

The Chief Minister proposed a series of regional initiatives, including developing the Northeast as India’s Green Industrial Hub, creating an Eastern Startup Corridor, establishing a North East Industrial Free Trade Authority, promoting cross-border cluster diplomacy, setting up a North East Skills University with campuses in all states, and strengthening community-based tourism.

On connectivity, he advocated coordinated multi-state planning and the implementation of high-impact infrastructure projects with private sector participation to unlock the Northeast’s full economic potential.

–IANS

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