Tripura set to become new logistic hub of trade and commerce

Ending the prolonged wait, Tripura, the northeastern tiny state, is set to shred its deadlock tag and become a logistic hub of trade and commerce. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has on Friday announced that a small ship has been scheduled to leave for Tripura’s Sonamura—the new protocol route of Indo-Bangla inland waterways on July 14 next. The ship will be reaching here in Sonamura located in Sepahijala district on July 18 next.

According to the chief Minister, this will play a huge role in augmenting Tripura’s development and surely set a new paradigm for trade and business to grow. He also informed a gathering here in Agartala organized to launch Prime Minister’s Sanman Nidhi scheme that the inland waterway connectivity would reduce the prices of essential commodities in the state once it starts functioning in full fledged.

“We haven’t even ever thought that this dream will come true in such a short period. On July 14 next a small ship will leave from Haldia port for Tripura and it will reach Tripura on July 18 next. The small vessel will be carrying TATA TMT bars. This can be seen as a big step towards becoming a model state in the days to come”, the Tripura Chief Minister told the gathering adding that the prices of essential commodities would decrease drastically in Tripura after it becomes operational.

The Chief Minister said, the new government of Tripura is keen to promote the sector of self employment. “We are surveying in the rural areas of the state. In the rural parts, 1.5 lakh shop owners will be given easy loans to enhance their working capital. The enrolled traders will also get a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 and subsequently the spouse will get half of the amount under the new scheme”, he said.

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Speaking on the urban areas, he said, the simplification of trade license issuance bid helped the government to generate more revenue in the urban sector. Sharing data, he said, there are more than 80,000 shop owners in the urban areas who are dependent on the business for their living. 44 per cent of these shops are run by the owner himself and the rest are being managed by help or paid employees in Tripura.

The Chief Minister also took a dig at the recently published CMIE data that had shown Tripura unemployment rates in bad light placing it at the second position.

“The data should be complete and well researched. Still the unemployment figures are being shown keeping 2001 census as its base. There are big chances of inaccuracy. According to the fresh government data, the unemployment rate has decreased”, he said.

“The total number of unemployed persons in Tripura as of June 2019 is 173511. As per the National Career Service, it is 5%, based on total population. Whereas, as per NSO ( National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation), the unemployment rate of Tripura is 6.8% which is based on the working population (15 years and above). Rank of Tripura is now 17th out of 36 States and UTs.Earlier the figure of unemployed persons in Tripura was about 7.5 lakhs which has come down to 173511 now”, the Chief Minister wrote in a social media post later adding “We are constantly working for the welfare of our youths”.

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