PM’s address at inauguration of ‘Maitri Setu’ between India and Bangladesh

Namaskar! KHULUMAKHA! The Governor of Tripura, Shri Ramesh Bais ji, the popular Chief Minister, Shri Biplab Deb ji, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Jishnu Deb Burman ji, all the ministers of the state government, MPs and MLAs and my dear brothers and sisters from Tripura! Congratulations to all of you on the completion of three years of development journey of Tripura! Best wishes! Brothers and sisters, Three years ago, the people of Tripura created a new history and gave a very strong message to the entire country. Tripura made a new beginning by unseating the negative powers that blocked the development of the state for decades. You have unshackled Tripura’s potential. I am pleased that the government led by Biplab Deb ji is rapidly realizing its resolutions with the blessings of Maa Tripura Sundari. Friends, In 2017, you decided to put up a double engine of development in Tripura — one engine in Tripura and another in Delhi. This double engine decision paved the way for progress, and the results are before you today. Today, Tripura is experiencing a clear difference between the 30-year-old government and the three-year government of the double engine. Where it was difficult to work without commission and corruption, the government benefits today are reaching directly to the people’s bank account. The employees who were hassled for a timely salary are now getting their salary under the 7th Pay Commission. While farmers had to face many difficulties to sell their produce, the farmers’ produce was purchased at MSP for the first time in Tripura. Colleagues working under MGNREGA are now getting Rs. 205 per day as against Rs. 135. Tripura, which became a laggard due to the strike culture, is now working for ease of doing business. Tripura, where industries were facing closure, is now setting up industries and attracting investments. Alongside the increase in the trade volume, the exports from Tripura also increased by nearly five times. Friends, The central government has taken care of every requirement for the development of Tripura. The amount from the central government to Tripura has been increased exponentially in the last six years. Tripura received assistance of Rs. 3500 crore for central development projects between 2009 and 2014. 3500 crore rupees! Whereas more than 12,000 crore rupees have been provided to Tripura between 2014 and 2019 after we formed the government. Today, Tripura is an example for the bigger states where the double engine government is not there and which also waste their time in quarrelling with Delhi. They are also realizing it. Tripura, which once was a power deficit state, has become a power surplus today because of the double engine government. Before 2017, only 19,000 rural households in Tripura had tap water. About two lakh rural households are getting tap water now due to the double engine government of Delhi and Tripura. Before 2017, 5.80 lakh households in Tripura had gas connections i.e., less than six lakh. Today, 8.5 lakh households in the state have gas connections. In 8.50 lakh houses! Only 50 per cent of the villages in Tripura were open defecation free before the formation of the double engine government, today almost every village in Tripura is open defecation free. Whether it is the 100 per cent electrification under the Saubhagya scheme, more than 2.5 lakh free gas connections under the Ujjwala Yojana, or the benefit to more than 50,000 pregnant women under the Matru Vandana scheme, the double engine government of Delhi and Tripura is helping to empower the sisters and daughters of Tripura. The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat scheme are also benefiting the farmers and poor families of Tripura. The country is also watching that where there is no double engine government, these schemes which empower the poor, farmers and daughters in your neighbourhood were either not implemented, or their pace is very slow. Friends, The biggest impact of the double engine government is the pace of providing pucca houses to the poor. Today, when the government of Tripura is entering its fourth year, 40,000 poor families of the state are also getting their new home. The poor families whose dream of their home is being realized today are aware of the strength of their one vote. How can one vote realize their dreams? All those who are getting their own house can feel this. I wish that this new home gives a new flight to your dreams and the aspirations of your children. Brothers and sisters, It is the strength of the double engine government that the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, whether rural or urban, is working very fast in Tripura. More than 80,000 pucca houses have been sanctioned for the poor in small towns of Tripura. Tripura is also among the six states in the country where modern homes are being constructed from new technology. Brothers and sisters, We had promised you that there would be a double engine (government) in Tripura for HIRA development. I was just watching the video, which has been brilliantly encapsulated. HIRA, i.e., Highways, I-ways, Railways and Airways! There has been rapid improvement in the connectivity infrastructure of Tripura in the last three years. There is rapid progress whether it is the airport work or the work of connecting Tripura to the Internet via the sea, or the rail link. The projects worth more than Rs. 3,000 crore of rupees, which have been either dedicated or whose foundation stone was laid today, are part of our same HIRA model. In fact, now waterways and port infrastructure have also been added to it. Friends, As part of this, Tripura has got gifts of roads for villages, widening of highways, bridges, parking, infrastructure for exports, smart city infrastructure today. The connectivity facilities that are being developed in Tripura today are also helping to make people’s lives easier in remote villages as well as increasing the income of the people. This connectivity is proving to be a strong link for our friendship with Bangladesh and trade. Friends, The entire region is being developed as a kind of trade corridor between eastern, north-eastern India and Bangladesh. During my visit to Bangladesh, myself and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina together laid the foundation stone of the bridge connecting Tripura directly to Bangladesh and it has been inaugurated today. We also listened to the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ji who mentioned the growing friendship and connectivity between India and Bangladesh. The bridge between Sabroom and Ramgarh has also strengthened our friendship along with India-Bangladesh prosperity. The agreements that have been fructified relating to land, rail and water connectivity between India and Bangladesh in the last few years have been further strengthened by this bridge. This will empower connectivity of Tripura as well as southern Assam, Mizoram, Manipur to Bangladesh and other countries in South East Asia. This bridge will improve connectivity and increase economic opportunities not only in India, but in Bangladesh also. Besides improving connectivity between the people of India and Bangladesh, this bridge has created new opportunities for tourism, trade and port-led development. Subroom and its adjoining areas will become a very big centre of international trade due to its connectivity with the port. Friends, When facilities other than the Maitri Setu (Bridge) are developed, we will not have to depend only on the road route for supplies to the north-east. Now the sea and the river routes will not be affected. In view of the importance of South Tripura, the construction of Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Sabroom has also started from today. This ICP will function like a full-fledged logistic hub. Parking lots, warehouses and container trans-shipment facilities will be developed. Friends, With the opening of the Feni Bridge, Agartala will become the nearest city in India from the international sea port. The projects for widening of NH-8 and NH-208, which have been either dedicated or whose foundation stone was laid today, will further strengthen connectivity to the North East port. Agartala will emerge as an important centre for logistics across the North East. This route will cut down transport costs and the entire North East will get the goods easily. The farmers of Tripura are going to get new markets in the country and abroad for their fruits, vegetables, milk, fish, etc. The existing industries will benefit and new industries will get a boost. The industrial goods being produced here will also be very competitive in foreign markets. Over the years, the incentives given for bamboo products, incense sticks industry, pineapple-related business will be further strengthened by these new facilities. Brothers and sisters, Cities like Agartala have the potential to become new centres of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The dedication and foundation stone of many projects to make Agartala a better city is part of such efforts. The newly created Integrated Command Centre will help handle the city arrangements through smart technology. There will be technical support for a variety of issues from traffic related problems to prevention of crime. Similarly, the multilevel parking, commercial complexes and widening of the road connecting the airport will greatly improve ease of living and ease of doing business in Agartala. Brothers and sisters, When such developmental works happen; those people who were forgotten for years and were compelled to live on their own benefit the most. People living in tribal areas and Bru refugees, in particular, are benefiting from many such steps of the government. It is because of the efforts of the government that the decades-old problems of Bru refugees in Tripura were resolved. The special package of Rs. 600 crore will bring about a very positive change in the lives of thousands of Bru colleagues. Friends, Our tribal areas benefit a lot when facilities like drinking water, electricity and health reach every doorstep. Both the Centre and the Tripura governments are working together for the same. Agartala Airport being christened as Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya ji is an honour of his vision for the development of Tripura. We have also had the privilege of conferring the Padma Shri on Shri Thanga Darlong ji, Shri Satyaram Reang ji and Shri Benichandra Jamatia ji, the sons who worked for the rich culture and literature of Tripura. We are all indebted to the contribution of these worshippers of culture and literature. Beni Chandra Jamatia ji is no longer among us, but his work will always inspire us. Friends, The encouragement to tribal handicrafts and bamboo-based art under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana is providing new sources of income to tribal brothers and sisters. I am told that Muli bamboo cookie has been launched as a packaged product for the first time. This is a commendable job. The expansion of such steps will help the people. This year’s Union Budget also provides for comprehensive provision for Eklavya Model Schools and other modern facilities in tribal areas. I am sure that the Tripura government will continue to serve the people of Tripura in the next year also. Once again, I thank Biplab ji, his entire team and the officers of the administration for serving the people for three years. I am sure that they will continue to put in more efforts to serve the people in future also and change the destiny of Tripura. With this faith, I once again congratulate all of you very much. I convey my best wishes. Thanks!