Agartala gets tag of ‘best city’ among small states

NEW DELHI/AGARTALA - Tripura’s capital Agartala was Friday given the ‘best city’ award among small states in India for providing homes to the urban poor, officials said.

The award was handed over by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee at a function in New Delhi’s Dr.D.S. Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan. Tripura’s principal secretary Sudip Kumar Roy received the award.

A senior official in Agartala said: “The coveted award was given for execution of the Basic Service of Urban Poor (BSUP) scheme under small, special group states and union territory category.”

“After providing concrete buildings and permanent houses for the thousands of slum dwellers, we have taken up seven more ambitious housing projects for the homeless urban poor,” Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said here while addressing a gathering.

He said the central government had given Rs.17 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to implement the BSUP scheme.

“A central team recently visited the state and highly appreciated the state government for its successful implementation,” the chief minister said.

The award will boost the state government efforts to provide lasting homes to the homeless poor people across the northeastern state, whose 66 percent of 3.5 million population live below the poverty line.

Tripura Urban Development Minister Manik Dey said: “With adequate provisions of recreation and green spaces for the urban people, efforts are on to make Agartala a healthy and clean environment city with emphasis on creation of a safe and liveable capital.”

“The Tripura government had undertaken steps for slum development and poverty alleviation under the JNNURM,” he added.