CM looking at investment with reduced insurgency

Agartala, Aug 2: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has claimed that with improvement of law and order situation and drastic fall of insurgency, many entrepreneurs are eager to make investment in the state.

Talking to reporters last night after his return from Delhi, the Chief Minister, who is also in charge of home portfolio, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also expressed happiness over the improvement of law and order situation in the state during his visit last year.

The underground militants were cornered now following various reasons mainly pressure from security forces and division among themselves. But the insurgents were yet to be wiped out completely, he said.

Many of the rebels from various outfits Including National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) had left the wrong jungle path and returned to mainstream.

The militants proved organising a number of incidents recently that they were not finished. They are camping in neighbouring country of Bangladesh.

During the tenure of the Director General of Police G M Srivastava the insurgency problem improved manifolds and keeping in mind the state government requested to centre to extend Mr Srivastava's service in the state, but with no reply yet, the Chief Minister said. Regarding industrialisation, Mr Sarkar said a number of entrepreneurs including Pailan, Camellia and Poddar groups have expressed interest of investment in the state.

He said, "now atmosphere was congenial for setting up of industrial projects. The state government had also constituted a high level committee consisting four members to examine everything from the investors. The chairman of the committee is Chief Secretary R K Mathur." The Chief Minister also said very recently a steel factory was inaugurated at the industrial estate in Bodhjungnagar in West Tripura district. The daily capacity of production was 40,000 mt, of which the state government alone required 50 per cent, Mr Sarkar said.

UNI