Agartala: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the second unit of ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) powered Palatana power project in Udaipur and dedicated it to the nation saying development would be ushered in the North East on the basis of a four-point revolution.
Addressing a gathering at the inaugural ceremony, the Prime Minister said that the Centre had a long term project in mind for developing the region through modern connectivity in rail, road, air and waterways.
Modi identified the four pronged strategy the Centre had in mind to develop the region—the second green revolution, the white revolution, the saffron revolution and the blue revolution.
Stating that the NDA government held a positive approach to developing the NE region in the days ahead. “The NE region holds huge potential in tourism, energy and natural resources that can't be matched with many other regions of the country”.
Elaborating the point, the Prime Minister said, “We have had our green revolution. Now the NE should find its place as a major producer in the international market as the second green revolution is underway”. The PM urged for strategic policies and practices in developing organic farming in the region.
Modi also stated that the region should take pro-active steps in integrating itself with the white revolution. NER holds huge potential in furthering its present situation in milk production, he stated.
Modi said that his government would work towards introducing saffron revolution in the NE region along with the rest of the country.
“Saffron is considered as the colour of energy. We need to exploit the huge potential of natural gas reserves in the region and water resource to harvest larger energy requirements”, he said.
The water based energy and internal waterways were the next big possibilities in the region, Modi said and termed it as the blue revolution.
He said that the central government wanted to develop a gas based Urea fertiliser plant in the region besides, other key projects including a petro-chemical hub as earlier suggested by Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.
Responding to a request from Tawfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Advisor to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar who attended the inaugural ceremony today, the Prime Minister said that the Government of India was ready to sell 100 MW power to Bangladesh.
The issue was earlier agreed upon during a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed.
The Palatana power plant would be generating power to Tripura and all other states of the NE region besides, its contribution to the national grid.