IndiaPost.com - PM criticizes Tripura govt for 'tardy' development

UDAIPUR, Tripura: The Congress is the only party which is serious about peace and development of North-eastern states, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claimed here, while criticizing the Left Front government in Tripura for the "tardy" pace of development.

Addressing an election meeting here in South Tripura district, the Prime Minister said that two years ago he had inaugurated a 750 MW gas-based thermal project at Palatana so that people in Tripura and its neighbors could get power.

Yet there was no electricity in 350 villages and the state government was working at "snail's pace" to utilize the huge reserve of natural gas, said Singh, who came to campaign for the February 23 assembly polls a day after Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The Centre gave Rs 250 crore under the Bharat Nirman project, Rs 14 crore for slum development in Agartala, the state capital, Rs 50 crore for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan every year and Rs 150 crore for the National Rural Employment Generation Scheme, yet development was not taking place as expected, the prime minister alleged.

The Left Front government in the state, he claimed, could neither bring peace nor prosperity for the people. "I on behalf of the Congress party and our UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, have come to beg for your support to oust this government from power," he said.

Singh expressed "concern" that Tripura, a tiny state, had over "five lakh unemployed" and alleged the government took no initiative to attract investors for development.

Referring to the peace accord signed between former premier Rajiv Gandhi and Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl's TNV in August 1988, he said Rajiv Gandhi had paid a great deal of attention to preserve the culture of the region and restoration of peace in the state.

Speaking about development plans for land-locked Tripura, he said, communication was a major problems so initiatives had been taken for connectivity by road, rail and air.

Four-lane highways would connect Chuaibari to Sabroom via Agartala, while the pace of construction of the railway line from Kumarghat to Agartala was progressing speedily. He said that in the next five year plan, grants to the education sector would be increased five times.

Asking the people to vote for the Congress, he said, "I can promise you that if the Congress government comes to power, all problems of the people would be solved and a prosperous future built."