FM Sitharaman, DoNER Minister Scindia assure support to boost Tripura's tourism sector

New Delhi/Agartala, Sep 25 (IANS) Union Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have assured to provide all kind help for the development of tourism infrastructure in Tripura, state’s Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said on Thursday.

After meeting the DoNER Minister in Delhi, Chowdhury said he during the meeting urged Scindia to provide funds to develop the infrastructure to boost tourism in the northeastern state.

“The DoNER Minister assured all possible help to strengthen the tourism sector in Tripura,” Tripura Minister said in a Facebook post.

Chowdhury, who also holds the Transport portfolio, said that he presented in detail the ongoing activities and future plans of the Tripura government’s Tourism Department before the Union Minister.

“I also sought his necessary support to take forward some new tourism projects with the help and financial assistance of the DoNER Ministry. Scindia assured all possible cooperation from his side for the development of tourism in Tripura,” the Tripura tourism minister said.

During the meeting, Tourism Department Secretary Uttam Kumar Chakma and Director Prashant Badal Negi were present. Chowdhury in another Facebook post said that he met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and apprised her of the ongoing activities and future plans of the Tripura Tourism Department.

“I also sought her support to take forward some new projects of the department. The Union Finance Minister assured all possible cooperation for the development of tourism in Tripura.

During this meeting, the Secretary and the Director of the Tourism Department were present with me.

Meanwhile, fulfilling a long-awaited public expectation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22 inaugurated the redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas revered by Hindus, in southern Tripura’s Udaipur.

A senior official of the Tourism Department said that under the PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry, the 524-year-old Tripura Sundari temple has been redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 54 crore.

The Central government has provided Rs 34.43 crore, while the Tripura government contributed Rs 17.61 crore to this project.

The temple, built in 1501 by the state's erstwhile king Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in Udaipur, is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in the country and the third such shrine in eastern India after the Kali temple in Kolkata’s Kalighat and the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati.

--IANS

sc/pgh