Agartala, Feb 3 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the state government is in the process of establishing an international skill centre and a foreign language school to open up global employment opportunities for the youth of the state.
The Chief Minister was addressing the 3rd Regional Workshop under the State Support Mission of NITI Aayog, held at a hotel in Agartala. He said that governance is not merely about institutions or procedures, but about improving the quality of life of citizens and ensuring that development reaches the last mile.
“Governance, after all, is fundamentally about improving the quality of life for every citizen and ensuring that development reaches the last mile, as our Prime Minister often emphasises. The State Support Mission represents a defining evolution in India’s federal governance architecture,” the Chief Minister said.
Saha said that the mission underscores a partnership-based model of Centre-State collaboration, recognising states not merely as implementing agencies but as equal partners in shaping India’s development journey.
“Through the State Support Mission, NITI Aayog has empowered states to strengthen their State Institutes of Transformation — institutions that support policy design, outcome monitoring and inter-sector convergence. The mission acknowledges that sustainable socio-economic transformation is rooted in strong institutions and helps align states’ long-term visions with the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat 2047,” he said.
The Chief Minister noted that states and Union Territories are currently at different stages of development of their State Institutes of Transformation, reflecting diverse governance and socio-economic contexts. “Recognising this diversity, NITI Aayog has conceptualised regional workshops as platforms for peer learning, cross-fertilisation of ideas and collaborative problem-solving. The decision to host the third regional workshop for eastern and northeastern states in Tripura reflects NITI Aayog’s confidence in the region’s growing policy capacity and in Tripura’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to the national reform discourse,” he said.
Saha added that over the past few years, Tripura has consistently placed good governance and institutional reform at the core of its development strategy.
He said that in a short span, the Tripura Institute for Transformation (TIFT) has emerged as a catalyst for reform and a vital bridge between policy intent and on-ground execution.
“TIFT works closely with leading knowledge institutions to identify Tripura’s core strengths, set realistic targets and develop sectoral roadmaps. Over the last two years, it has played a critical role in addressing key governance challenges and hand-holding government departments in policy formulation and business reforms,” the Chief Minister said.
Saha reiterated that the proposed international skill centre and foreign language school would equip the youth with skills required for overseas employment.
“Earlier, our youth had to go outside the state for work. Knowledge of foreign languages will make it easier for them to access global opportunities and communicate effectively,” he said.
Highlighting the state’s push for modern governance tools, Saha said that a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) cell has been established within the Good Governance Department to facilitate private investment while optimally sharing risks with the government.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appreciated Tripura’s reform efforts during a recent interaction in New Delhi. The state’s business reform strategy was also shared with all states at the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference held in December 2025.
“In January 2026, the Bihar government, along with some other states, invited our officers to study the Tripura model of ease of doing business,” the Chief Minister said.
Saha informed that the Jindal Group has commenced steel sheet manufacturing in the state, while several private universities, as well as medical and paramedical colleges, have also been established in Tripura.
–IANS
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