AGARTALA, Jan 22 - On the 46th Statehood Day of Tripura, Governor Tathagata Roy said the State has to go a long way especially in the field of employment generation amidst success in different sectors.
Indeed there has been improvement in different fields but we can�t move much ahead riding on the dole pumped in by the Central Government, he said while speaking in a programme to mark the observance of Statehood Day at Rabibra Bhavan here on Saturday.
�There must be efforts to attain self reliance rather than depending on the Centre and skill development could play a key role to achieve this. Growth depending on the dole system is not long lasting�, he said.
Roy said, �MGNRGA was implemented to provide jobs to millions of poor people but there should be sustained efforts to bring a real change in the life of common people by making themselves skilled�.
Giving full backing to the Centre�s decision of abolishing Planning Commission, the Governor said the concept to have such a body was adopted in line of Soviet era system. �I had the opportunity to see the system of Soviet Union but what we have experienced is nothing but a disastrous outcome � collapse of the entire system�, he said.
Roy said the Centre has been trying to help the State Governments by opening different avenues in the post-Planning Commission era. �Railway connectivity and submarine internet gateway are the major steps taken by the Centre to speed up development process in a State like Tripura�, he claimed.
In his hard-hitting speech, the Governor also opined there is an urgent need to look at the tourism potential of the State. �Unakoti is an ancient archeological site which could be equated with Ajanta Elora. If the government takes proper initiatives, it could be a game changer in the State�s tourism prospect�, he said.
Agriculture Minister Aghore Debbarma, PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury and Chief of Tripura Tribal Council Radha Charan Debbarma attended the programme.
In his speech, Chowdhury strongly opposed the Centre�s decision of abolishing Planning Commission saying that it is widening the gap between the State and Centre. On demonetisation, he said the State Government welcomes such move but the way it was pushed on the State exposes the lack of preparation of the Central Government.