Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday declared that the northeastern state has now been fully freed from the clutches of terrorism, marking a significant turning point in its history.
Speaking at a public function in Chandibari, Amarpur Sub-Division of Gomati district, the Chief Minister said, from terrorto tourism, Tripura now travels to New Horizon, and ighlighted the state’s ambitious development projects and the resulting tourism boom, asserting that Tripura is swiftly transforming into a major growth hub in the region.
“For decades, insurgency severely disrupted Tripura’s development journey. It hindered progress in vital sectors like tourism, infrastructure, and social welfare,” said Saha. “But that phase is over. The state is now free of terrorism.”
The Chief Minister credited the peace to a landmark tripartite agreement signed in New Delhi last year in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Under this agreement, hundreds of militants from insurgent outfits such as the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) laid down arms and surrendered to the state government. The agreement, signed in September 2024, has been hailed as a breakthrough in the long-running efforts to bring insurgents into the democratic mainstream.
Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Tripura in 2018, Saha claimed, all key socio-economic indicators have shown improvement. “Tripura is now second only to Assam in the Northeast in terms of GDP. In per capita income, we stand just behind Sikkim. This is a testament to the positive transformation taking place here,” he stated.
The Chief Minister also underscored the state’s abundant natural beauty and ecological wealth as potential catalysts for future growth. “Tripura is blessed with untapped natural resources and scenic landscapes. We are committed to using these responsibly to build a self-reliant and prosperous state.”
A significant marker of this transformation has been the surge in tourism. According to official figures cited by Saha, over seven lakh domestic and international tourists visited Tripura in the past year alone. This is a major jump compared to previous years, especially when insurgency concerns often deterred visitors from exploring the region.
Tourism and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, who was also present at the event, expanded on the government’s vision to turn Tripura into a premier tourism destination in the country. “With the cooperation and funding support from the Central government, we have launched a wide range of tourism projects. These include initiatives centered on religious, cultural, ecological, and adventure tourism,” he said.
Chowdhury asserted that within just two years, Tripura will emerge as a world-class tourism destination. “We are not just aiming for national standards—we are setting global benchmarks.”
Among the most ambitious of the new projects is a state-of-the-art eco-park to be developed in Jirania, West Tripura. Modelled after the famous Nicco Park in Kolkata, this eco-park is expected to offer high-quality recreational and educational experiences to visitors. The project will involve an investment of ₹50 crore and is expected to significantly boost eco-tourism in the region.
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Chowdhury also revealed that the state government is exploring the potential of seaplane tourism as an innovative means to enhance connectivity and attract more visitors to the state. “Tripura is home to many serene and unexplored aquatic destinations. Seaplane services would provide tourists—both Indian and international—a unique and convenient way to experience the natural beauty of the state.”
He added that preliminary surveys and feasibility studies are already underway to identify suitable waterbodies for the initiative.
With peace restored, major infrastructure projects underway, and a robust vision for tourism-led growth, the Tripura government believes that the state is well on its way to becoming a model for development in the Northeast. The challenge ahead lies in ensuring that the benefits of these ambitious initiatives reach every corner of the state and uplift the lives of all its citizens.
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