Tripura CM Manik Saha Seeks Agartala-Chittagong Flights, Railway Expansion, IT Park at NEC Plenary Session

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
• Jun 04, 2026
• 95

Chief Minister of Tripura Dr. Manik Saha has strongly pitched for major infrastructure, connectivity and economic development projects for the state during the 73rd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in Shillong.

Addressing the high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Dr. Saha urged the Centre to prioritize direct Agartala-Chittagong flight services, the Badarpur-Sabroom double-line railway project, a 40 percent rebate on natural gas prices, establishment of an Information Technology Park, and enhanced financial support under the Pride of Hills scheme.

The NEC meeting was attended by DoNER Minister (Ministry of DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of State Sukanta Majumder, Governors and Chief Ministers from all eight Northeastern states.

Tripura Achieving Rapid Economic Growth

Highlighting Tripura's development journey under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr. Saha said the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has doubled over the last six years.

According to the Chief Minister, Tripura's per capita income has reached the national average, while the state government has secured more than 350 national and regional awards during the last eight years for excellence in governance and development.

Rs 30,000 Crore Investment Boost for Tripura

Dr. Saha informed the NEC that investor-friendly policies have helped attract investment proposals exceeding Rs 30,000 crore in the last year alone.

He said projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore have already entered the implementation phase, while the Tripura Startup Policy 2024 has enabled recognition of over 200 startups, strengthening the state's entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Healthcare Infrastructure Transformed

The Chief Minister stated that major investments in healthcare infrastructure have significantly improved medical services across Tripura.

Patient referrals outside the state have declined by nearly 80 percent. At the same time, MBBS seats have increased from 225 to 550, while postgraduate medical seats have risen from 85 to 196 within four years.

Demand for Better Roads, Railways and Air Connectivity

Dr. Saha called upon NHIDCL to ensure quality execution of national highway projects and sought priority four-laning of the Churaibari-Mugaikami, Agartala-Udaipur and Udaipur-Amarpur road corridors.

He also urged the Central Government to expedite:

• Direct Agartala-Chittagong flight services

• Expansion of Agartala Airport runway

• Operationalisation of Kailashahar Airport under the UDAN Scheme

• Early launch of the Badarpur-Sabroom double railway line project

• Electric passenger train services up to Sabroom

• Vande Bharat Express connectivity between Agartala and Guwahati

AIIMS, IT Park and World Skill Centre for Tripura

Seeking additional central support, Dr. Saha requested the establishment of an AIIMS-level medical institute in Agartala.He further appealed to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) to sanction an Information Technology Park, a World Skill Centre under the PM-DevINE PM-DevINE Programme to generate employment and boost industrial growth in Tripura.

Enhanced Funding Under Pride of Hills Scheme Sought

The Chief Minister pointed out that the Sixteenth Finance Commission has not recommended a Revenue Deficit Grant for Tripura.

In view of this, he requested the Centre to increase annual allocations under the Pride of Hills scheme from Rs 3,450 crore to at least Rs 6,000 crore for the state.

Dr. Saha also urged the Ministry of Finance to raise the ceiling for Externally Aided Projects (EAP) from Rs 4,146 crore to Rs 10,000 crore to facilitate approval of key development projects.

Vision for Northeast India's Economic Transformation

As Chairman of the High-Level Task Force on Investment Promotion in the Northeast, Dr. Saha presented a roadmap for accelerating economic growth across the region.

His proposals included developing Northeast India as India's Green Industrial Hub, creating an Eastern Startup Corridor, establishing a North East Industrial Free Trade Authority, promoting cross-border economic partnerships, strengthening tourism infrastructure, encouraging community-based tourism, and creating a North East Skills University with campuses across all eight states.

He also emphasized the need for coordinated regional connectivity planning and greater private sector participation in infrastructure development projects across Northeast India.

Detailed coverage of Tripura's investment growth, infrastructure projects, and startup ecosystem is available on https://thetripurapost.com