Agartala: A seven-member delegation of NITI Aayog, led by distinguished Indian scientist of defence research Dr. V. K Saraswat on Tuesday after arriving on a two-day visit and held a separate meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and the top officials of the administration as part of its planning strategy for development.
While the Chief Minister urged the development of the health sector with super specialty hospitals and world-class medical facilities in a public-private partnership model and liberalizing export barriers with neighbouring Bangladesh, the NITI Aayog delegation assured to extend help to resolve the issues.
Addressing the meeting, Dr Saraswat advised the officials to undertake sustainable development projects and to focus on the potential areas where private enterprises could be encouraged to invest.
The NITI Aayog team also interacted with industry associations, civil society organisations and academia on Wednesday at the State Guest House and got their views on the development of the state.
During the interaction, Chief Minister Dr Saha mentioned that trade barriers imposed by Bangladesh on some key products of Tripura have been affecting the exports of the state and requested that NITI Aayog take the necessary steps to resolve the hindrance.
“Tripura has a vast scope of industrial growth based on bamboo, rubber, agar, pineapple, information technology, and development of the health sector. The finished rubber products cannot be exported to Bangladesh due to trade restrictions.
Dr Saha said that the government needs guidance and support from the ‘think tank’ to take Tripura’s development to the next level, and “the improved law and order situation in Tripura made it an ideal choice for private investors.”
