Agartala, Feb 13 : External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee’s Bangladesh visit could be a boon for Tripura as it will improve India’s relations with the neighbouring state, Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar has said.
“The outcome of Mukherjee’s visit has been positive and I hope this will also help our state through increased bilateral trade and commerce,” Sarkar said.
“People who want democracy can never be satisfied with a caretaker government or the army’s role; it is a very healthy sign that a popular government has come to power with a massive mandate and this will lead to positive developments all around,” Sarkar said.
He was delivering an inaugural speech during the opening of the Regional Institute of E-learning and Information Technology in the Indranagar area to the north of Agartala yesterday.
The institute has been launched by the Union ministry of information technology in response to persistent demand from the state government. It will start functioning with 200 students in the building of the state government’s information technology department but will later shit to a 15-acre plot allotted by the state government in Khayerpur area to the east of Agartala.
The papers on land allotment were handed over to the institute authorities by revenue minister Badal Chowdhury.
Sarkar who accompanied by Chowdhury visited the temporary campus within the IT office complex, later said at the inaugural function that the institute authorities had initially demanded 20 acres of land for the campus.
“We have already handed over 15 acres on lease and with smooth progress of work, the remaining five acres will also be given,” Sarkar said.
He asserted that despite many constraints Tripura was making rapid and visible progress and the Look East policy adopted by the state government would also help the state. He appealed to the institute authorities to help successful students find suitable placements.
“Tripura and the Northeast as a whole have not so far been able to benefit from the IT revolution compared to other parts of the country and I hope that this institute will fulfil a long-pending need,” Sarkar said.