Agartala, Jan 25 (IANS) Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday said that the Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invested nearly Rs 6 lakh crore in the Northeast over the past 12 years.
Scindia said that infrastructure across all sectors in the eight northeastern states has seen significant development since Narendra Modi assumed office as Prime Minister in 2014.
Laying the foundation stone for the ambitious Rs 450-crore Matabari Tourism Circuit in Tripura, the Union Minister said that the project is expected to provide a major boost to Tripura’s economy while creating substantial employment opportunities.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony was held at Narkel Kunj, a prominent tourist destination in Tripura’s Gomati district, surrounded by the vast Dumboor Lake.
Chief Minister Manik Saha joined the programme virtually.
With the foundation stone-laying of the Matabari Tourism Circuit, the Union Minister announced development projects worth a total of Rs 750 crore for Tripura during his three-day visit to the state. The project will include floating jetties, eco-friendly resorts, modern tourist facilities and immersive experiences rooted in local culture, giving the Dumboor region a distinct international tourism identity.
Scindia said that the Matabari Tourism Circuit is expected to generate 4,000 to 5,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, with nearly 30 per cent participation by women.
Self-help group (SHG) members and local youth will be actively integrated into tourism-related activities, he said, adding that the project would focus not only on infrastructure development but also on human resource development, with tour guides to be trained at premier institutions. Under the Prime Minister’s vision of a ‘Developed Northeast’, ‘Local to Global’ and the ‘Act East Policy’, Tripura is being developed as a gateway to Southeast Asia, Scindia said.
He appreciated the leadership of Chief Minister Saha and said that strong Centre–state coordination has enabled Tripura to scale new heights of development.
The Union Minister also said that 22 projects have been approved to promote engineered bamboo in the Northeast. Termed “Green Gold”, the initiative aims to strengthen the regional economy while promoting environmentally sustainable development.
Dumboor Lake, spread over an area of about 41 sq km, has 48 islets surrounded by verdant hills, offering a captivating scenic landscape.
The event was attended by Tripura Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury and senior officials from the North Eastern Council (NEC) and the state government.
Addressing the gathering, Scindia said that the commencement of the Matabari Tourism Circuit would further strengthen the tourism infrastructure of the state.
The four-day tourism circuit will include visits to Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala, Neermahal (the water palace) in Sepahijala district, and the holy shrine of Mata Tripura Sundari Temple, after which the circuit has been named. The circuit will also cover the ancient rock carving site of Chabimura in Gomati district—often referred to as the “Mini Amazon of India”—and Narkel Kunj, located on the banks of the expansive Dumboor Lake.
State Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that the Matabari Tourism Circuit would play a significant role in placing Tripura prominently on the global tourism map. He said that under the project, several initiatives have been undertaken for the beautification and development of tourist destinations at Neermahal, Sepahijala, Udaipur, Chabimura and Dumboor.
The work on these projects will begin shortly and is expected to be completed within a stipulated time frame, leading to the creation of new employment opportunities and further strengthening the foundation of the state’s economy, said Chowdhury, who also holds the Transport, Food and Civil Supplies portfolios.
On the third and final day of his visit to Tripura, Scindia visited Narkel Kunj, a tourism hotspot developed on one of the islands of Dumboor Lake, located about 115 km south of Agartala.
Earlier on Saturday, the Union Minister laid the foundation stone for a Rs 80-crore Agarwood Cluster Processing Centre at Uttar Fulbari village in North Tripura district. He said that the initiative aims to promote local industries globally and supports the ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) policies.
On the first day of his visit on January 23, the Union Minister virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for eight major development projects with a total outlay of Rs 365 crore, including an Rs 81-crore solar microgrid project.
Scindia had said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ashtalakshmi’ vision, the Northeast is no longer merely a geographical frontier but has emerged as an engine of India’s growth.
–IANS
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