Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha concluded his recent visit to the national capital on October 20, 2025, describing it as a resounding success for the state's residents. Speaking from Agartala upon his return, Saha highlighted a series of high-level meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and key Union ministers, focusing on accelerating infrastructure, healthcare, and connectivity projects in the northeastern state. These discussions, he emphasised, underscore the benefits of the "double-engine government"—a reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holding power both at the Centre and in Tripura—ensuring seamless central support for local development.

Saha's itinerary in Delhi included targeted engagements to bolster Tripura's infrastructure backbone. He met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to secure sustained funding for ongoing projects, stressing the need for uninterrupted financial aid to avoid developmental bottlenecks. A pivotal conversation with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw centred on enhancing rail links in the landlocked state, including ambitious plans to introduce the Vande Bharat Express, India's semi-high-speed train service.

"Development is already underway, but to ensure that there are no obstacles in this process and that we continue to receive financial assistance for infrastructure development," Saha told ANI, adding that he "met almost everyone" relevant to Tripura's growth. These talks build on Tripura's recent rail expansions, such as the Agartala-Sabroom line, aimed at integrating the state more closely with mainland India and boosting trade via Bangladesh.

Healthcare emerged as another priority during the visit, with Saha holding in-depth discussions with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda. The agenda covered the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), India's flagship public health insurance scheme, alongside Tripura's own Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Saha advocated for procuring advanced medical equipment to upgrade the state's newly launched super-speciality facilities, addressing gaps in specialised care for Tripura's 4 million residents, many of whom rely on distant facilities in Kolkata or Guwahati. He also raised the pending implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for state employees, a long-standing demand that could improve morale and service delivery in public sectors.

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In a broader reflection, Saha credited Prime Minister Modi for Tripura's transformative trajectory toward "Viksit Tripura, Viksit Bharat"—a vision of a developed state and nation by 2047. Earlier in the visit, he had apprised Modi of progress on key fronts, including pleas to extend National Food Security Act benefits to the Bru-Reang community, a displaced tribal group resettled in Tripura after decades of insurgency, and to increase wheat allocations under the Public Distribution System. "I can proudly say that my recent visit to Delhi has been extremely successful for the people of Tripura," Saha affirmed, signalling renewed momentum for the state's post-2018 BJP governance era, which has prioritised peace, connectivity, and welfare after years of ethnic tensions and underdevelopment.

As Tripura eyes economic corridors with Southeast Asia, such central-state synergies could prove instrumental in realising its untapped potential in agriculture, tourism, and natural gas reserves.

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