AGARTALA, Jan 26 (PTI): Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy today appreciated the state government's endeavour to develop the state on par with others and commended the fact that it was the only state in the Northeast where the National Food Security Act was implemented last year.
Addressing the people at the Assam Rifles ground here after unfurling the Tricolour on the occasion of the 67th Republic Day, Roy appealed to the people to work with the objective to make Tripura a developed state.
He said Tripura remained the only state in the north-eastern region where the National Food Security Act was implemented last year and 25.02 lakh people were getting rice at the rate Rs 2 per kg.
Again, it was the only state in the country which could provide jobs for more than 88 days to rural people under MGNREGA for last two years.
The Governor said the rate of literacy of Tripura is the highest in the country which was 96.82 per cent, and that more than eight lakh children were studying in 4,818 schools of the state.
Roy said railway tracks from Dharmanagar to Agartala would be converted from narrow gauge to broad gauge by this March while a new broad gauge line would be laid up to Udaipur in Gomati district, about 55 km from here, by this year end.
Two 'border haats' along the Indo-Bangla international border in Sabroom in South Tripura district and Kamalasagar in Sipahijala district were set up last year and two more 'border haats' would come up in Dhalai and North Tripura district to enhance trade with neighbouring Bangladesh, he said.
Roy said one sophisticated Land Custom Station was inaugurated on January 6 last at Srimantapur in Sipahijala district bordering Comilla district of Bangladesh.
He said Agartala airport would soon be upgraded to an international airport to facilitate better communication. Roy said relations with Bangladesh were improving and a bus service to Kolkata via Bangladesh has started last year.
