Tripura Emerging as Key Driver of Northeast Growth Under PM Modi’s Leadership: Sarbananda Sonowal

Agartala, June 15, : Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said that Tripura has emerged as a significant contributor to the Northeast’s growth story under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, driven by major improvements in connectivity, infrastructure, governance and economic opportunities over the past decade.

Sonowal was in Agartala as part of programmes marking 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. During the visit, he participated in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sammelan, interacted with citizens, visited an exhibition highlighting the Centre’s achievements, joined the Pragati Path Yatra, reviewed the ongoing high-rise government office complex at Gurkhabasti, and planted a sapling under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign.

Addressing the gathering, Sonowal said the Modi government’s 12-year journey has been guided by the principles of “Vishwas, Vikas and Jan Kalyan,” making governance more transparent, technology-driven and citizen-centric.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has transformed India from a nation of hesitation into a nation of confidence. Development, welfare and opportunities have reached every corner of the country, including the Northeast,” he said.

Highlighting Tripura’s progress, Sonowal noted that enhanced road, rail and digital connectivity has integrated the state more closely with national and international markets. He said the state is scripting a new chapter of growth and prosperity, supported by infrastructure development and improved market access.

The Union Minister also pointed to the growing international recognition of Tripura’s famed Queen Pineapple, stating that better connectivity and government support have enabled farmers to access wider markets and improve their livelihoods.

Speaking on the transformation of the Northeast, Sonowal said the region has moved “from the margins to the mainstream” and is now emerging as a strategic growth hub and India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.

“The Northeast is now being viewed as a new engine of India’s economic growth. Enhanced connectivity, peace accords, infrastructure investments and people-centric governance have unlocked the region’s immense potential,” he said.

Sonowal further emphasized the role of women and youth in India’s development journey, citing welfare schemes, entrepreneurship initiatives, skill development programmes and direct benefit transfers as key drivers of empowerment.

During the Pragati Path Yatra, he reviewed the Gurkhabasti high-rise office project and said the facility would strengthen administrative efficiency and improve public service delivery. He also praised Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha for accelerating infrastructure development and governance reforms in the state.

Concluding his visit, Sonowal planted a sapling at Nutannagar Girls’ Higher Secondary School under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative, describing it as a tribute to both mothers and nature. He said the past 12 years have laid a strong foundation for achieving the vision of a developed India by 2047 and called upon citizens to actively participate in nation-building during the Amrit Kaal period.