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Area : 10,491.69 sq km
Population : 3,199,203
Capital : Agartala
Principal Languages : Bengali and Kokborak
Tripura has a long historic
past, a unique tribal culture and a fascinating
folklore. The history of Tripura can be
understood from ‘Rajmala’ chronicles of
king Tripura and writings of other Mohammedan
historians. There are references of Tripura even
in Mahabharata and Puranas.
According to ‘Rajmala’, the rulers were
known by the surname ‘Fa’ meaning
‘father’. There is a reference to
rulers of Bengal helping Tripura kings in the
14th century. Kings of Tripura had to face
frequent Mughal invasions with varying
successes. They defeated the Mohammedan Sultans
of Bengal in several battles. Nineteenth century
marked the beginning of the modern era in
Tripura, when king Maharaja Birchandra Kishore
Manikya Bahadur modelled his administrative
set-up on the British India pattern and brought
in various reforms. His successors ruled Tripura
till 15 October, 1949, when it merged with the
Indian
Union. Initially, a part 'C' state, it
became a centrally administered territory with
the reorganisation of states in 1956. In 1972,
Tripura attained the status of a full-fledged
state. Tripura is strategically situated between
the river valleys of Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Encircled almost on three sides by Bangladesh,
it is linked with Assam and Mizoram in the
North-East.
Geographical area of Tripura is
10,49,169 hectare. It is assessed that about
2,80,000 hectares of land is cultivable. As on
31 March 2005 an area of 82,005 hectares of land
has been brought under assured irrigation by
providing lift irrigation, deep tube well,
diversion, medium irrigation, shallow tube wells
and pump sets. This is about 29.29 per cent of
the cultivable land in the state. 1269 L.I.
Schemes, 160 deep tube wells, 27 diversion
schemes have been completed and 3 medium
irrigation schemes, namely, (i) Gumti (ii)
Khowai and (iii) Manu are providing irrigation
water to the part portion of the command areas
as canal system has not been completed.
The present highest peak demand of power in
the State is around 162 MW Power available now
from own generating stations is around 70 MW.
About 50 MW power is being imported from the
State's allocated share from the Central Sector
power generating stations in the NE-Region.
Thus, the total available power is about 120 MW,
leaving a shartfall of about 42 MW during peak
hours. This deficit is currently being managed
by shedding lead in a sequential manner for
about 1(one) to 1/1-2 (one and half) hour in the
evening throughout the State.
The peak demand of the State has been
estimated to go up to 253 MW by 2007 by CEA in
16th Power Survey Report. It is estimated that
the peak demand during 2012 wil be 396 MW
considering the demand arising out of Rajiv
Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and
industralisation in the State.
1x21 MW GT Project at Baramura finding under
NEC : Sanctioned by EFC & recammended by
DONER but yet to be approved by Ministry of
Finance, Govt. of India.
Another 1x21 MW G.T. set at Rokhia, West
Tripura was installed on 31 March 2006.
ONGCL Power Project (110 MW): Tripura's share
is 100 MW. Likely to be commissioned in
2008-09.
Roads : The
total length of roads in Tripura is 15,227 km,
of which major district roads constitute 454 km
and other district roads are 1,538 km.
Railways : The total
length of ralway lines within the state extended
upto Manu is 66 km. Manu-Agartala Railway line
(Length-88 km) has been declared as National
Project and target date has been fixed for
completion of the project by March 2007.
Preliminary survey for Agartala-Sabroom rail
link was done several years back. It is
understood that reconnaissance
engineering-cum-traffic survey for a new BG line
between Agartala and Sabroom was sanctioned in
1998-99. The survey report for this new Railway
line (110 km) was finalised and sent to the
Railway Board in mid-2000 by NF railway
authorities. Therefore, work for updating of
this survey report was taken up during 2004-05
and updated survey report with cast. Estimate of
Rs. 556.88 crore were sent to the Railway Board
by NF railway authorities in early 2005.
In order to increase trade and commerce with
Bangladesh, railway link between Agartala (a
railway junction in Bangladesh) needs to be
established. The distance from Agartala is
roughly 13 km of which 5.40 km is within India.
This link will facilitate establishing a
much-needed direct railway link from Tripura to
Kolkata in West Bengal for easier movement of
passenger and freight.
A preliminary survey for construction of new
railway line connecting Agartala to Akhaura was
sanctioned by Railway Board in February 1999.
Survey for Indian portion was completed and
Bangladesh Railway authorities were requested by
NF railway authorities to provide details of
their part. But as no information from
bangladesh was available, the Survey report for
Indian part of Agartala-Akhaura new railway line
(5.4 km) at an estimated costof Rs. 27.27 crore
was sent to the Railway Board by NF railway
authorities in mid- 2000. There has been no
progress thereafter in this regard.
Aviation : The main
Airport is at Agartala. There are airports at
Kailashahar, Kamalpur and Khowai though they are
not functioning at present.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has been
requested to consider asking Indian Airlines and
other private airlines operating in this region
to operate hopping flights between Agartala and
Silchar in Assam via Kailashahar and Kamalpur
airport. The Ministry has now mooted the idea
that the State government and NEC may sign a MoU
with NEC agreeing to share the expenditure on
development of development of these two
airports. The State Government has expressed its
inability to agree to this proposal.
The important tourist centres are :
(a) West-south
Tripura Tourism Circuit : (i) Agartala
(ii) Kamalsagar (iii) Sepahijala (iv) Neermahal
(v) Udaipur (vi) Pilak (vii) Mahamuni
(b) West-North
Tripura Tourism Circuit : (i) Agartala
(ii) Unokuti (iii) Jampui Hill.
Tourism Festival :
(i) Orange and tourism Festival-Vangmun (ii)
Unokuti Tourism Festival (iii) Neermahal Tourism
Festival (iv) Pilak Tourism Festival.
Cultural
Religious Festival : (i) Makar Sankranti
at Thirthamukh and Unokoti (ii) Holi (iii)
Ashokashtami at Unokoti, Brahmakunda (Mohanpur)
(iv) Rash (v) Bengali New Year (vi) Garia,
Dhamail, Biju and Hojgiri Festival, (vii) Boat
Race and Manasa Mangal Festival (viii) Ker and
Khachi Festival (ix) Durgapuja (x) Diwali (xi)
Christmas at Jampuri Hills (xii) Budha Purnima
(xiii) Rabindra-Najrul-Sukanta Utsav (xiv)
Street Drama Festival (xv) Chongpreng Utsav
(xvi) Khumpuli Festival (xvii) Wah Festival
(xviii) Folk Cultural Festival (Loko Utsav)
(xix) Murasing Festival (xx) Sanghati Festival
(xxi) Baishakhi Festival (Sabroom), etc are
celebrated.
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