Agartala

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Rs 530 crore to the Tripura government to enhance drinking water supply in 12 cities, benefiting around 400,000 residents. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha laid the foundation for the ‘Mukhyamantri Nagar Unnayan Prakalp’ (Chief Minister’s Urban Development Scheme) in Udaipur on Friday.

Saha highlighted that this ambitious project, set to be completed within three years, aims to resolve drinking water issues for over 75,000 families across the targeted cities. The cities involved include Udaipur, Amarpur, Belonia, Melaghar, Bishramganj, Khowai, Ranir Bazar, Mohanpur, Dharmanagar, Kailashhar, Kumarghat, and Ambassa, with seven being district headquarters.

The plan entails laying 305 kilometers of water pipelines, installing 25 deep tubewells, building 18 Iron Removal Plants, constructing four water treatment plants, and developing 19 water reservoirs. Saha noted that the scheme would later expand to eight additional cities, including Agartala.

He emphasized that providing access to clean drinking water is a top government priority and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for their support. Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy pointed out the lack of infrastructure during the previous government, which caused significant hardship for residents.