TRIPURA

TRIPURA

Area: 10,491.69 sq km, Population: 31,99,203
Capital: Agartala
Principal Languages : Bengali andKokborak

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Tripura has its unique tribal culture and a fascinating folklore. The history of Tripuracan be learnt from ‘Rajmala’ chronicles of king Tripura and writings of historians.There are references of Tripura even in the Mahabharata and the 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 Sultans of Bengal in several battles. Nineteenth century marked the beginning of the modern era in Tripura when king Maharaja Bir Chandra 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 the state merged with the Indian Union. Initially, a part 'C' state, it became a centrally administered territory with the re-organisation 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. 

IRRIGATION

Tripura is a predominantly hilly state having geographical area of 10,49,169 hectare. Amid the undulating terrain, the cultivable 2,80,000 hectares, as on 31 March 2008, an area of 93,359 hectares of land which is 79.97% of irrigation area and 33.34% of cultivable land has been brought under irrigation coverage through Medium Irrigation, Lift Irrigation, Diversion, Deep Tube Well, Shallow Sube Wells etc. The nature of schemes completed and commissioned by PWD (Water Resource) include 1411 nos. Diversion Schemes and 166 nos. Irrigation Deep Tube Wells. The three ongoing medium irrigation projects (Gumati, Khowai and Manu) have also been partially commissioned and expected to be complete by 2009-10.

POWER

The present highest peak demand of power in the State is around 162 MW. Power available now from own generating stations is around 80 MW. About 40 MW power is being imported from the State's allocated share from the Central Sector power generating stations in the NE-Region. It is estimated that the peak demand during 2012 will be around 396 MW considering the demand arising out of Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and Industrialization in the State.

NEW POWER PROJECTS IN TRIPURA

• 1 . 1 x 21 MW GT Project at Baramura, West Tripura under NEC, Implementing Agency : TSECL, Work is in progress, completion schedule :- December 2009. 
• 2 . OTPC Power project (740 MW) at Palatana, Udaipur, Tripura South : Tripura's share is 200 MW. Likely to be commissioned in 2011-12.
• 3 . Monachak G.T. Project (104 MW) : Implementing Agency : NEEPCO, likely to becommissioned in 2010-11.

TRANSPORT

Roads:
The total length of roads in Tripura is 1,997 km of which major district roads constitute 90 km. Other district roads are 1,218 km and State Highway is 689 km.

Railways:
The work for Rail line up to Agartala as a part of National Project hasbeen completed. The project for extention of Rail Line from Agartala to Sabroom has been approved by Central Government.

Aviation:
The main Airport is at Agartala.

TOURISM
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.

FESTIVALS

• a) Tourism Festival: (i) Tourism Festival at Vanghmun, (ii) Unokuti Tourism Festival, (iii) Neermahal Tourism Festival, (iv) Pilak Tourism Festival.
• b) 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 Hozagiri Festival, (vii) Boat Race and Manasa Mangal Festival, (viii) Ker and Kharchi Festival, (ix) Durgapuja, (x) Diwali, (xi) Christmas at Jampui Hills, (xii) Budha Purnima, (xiii) Rabindra-Najrul-Sukanta Utsav, (xiv) Street Drama Festival, (xv) Chongpreng Utsav, (xvi) Khumpui Festival, (xvii) Wah Festival, (xviii) Folk Cultural Festival (Loka Utsav), (xix) Murasing Festival, (xx) Sanghati Festival, (xxi) Baishakhi Festival (Sabroom), etc, are celebrated annually.

GOVERNMENT

Governor : Dinesh Nandan Sahaya
Chief Secretary : Shashi Prakash
Chief Minister : Manik Sarkar
Jurisdiction of High Court : Falls under Guwahati High Court Agartala Bench

Speaker : Remendra Chandra Debnath