The Tripura government has partnered with Tata Technologies for the development of ITI | India News – Times of India

AGARTALA: The Tripura government is all set to collaborate with Tata Technologies Limited to upgrade 19 industrial training institutes (ITIs) in the state. This proposal, based on a nomination basis for the next five years, was recently approved at a cabinet meeting.
The announcement was made by Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury during a press conference at the Secretariat on Saturday.
He said this initiative aims to improve the infrastructure of the ITIs in phases while providing better opportunities to ITI graduates, from startup support to out-of-state placements.
A formal agreement between the state government and Tata Technologies Limited is expected to be signed soon.
As part of this joint project, 11 new professions will be added to the ITI curriculum. The total cost of implementing this project is estimated at Rs 683.27 crores. Tata Technologies will cover 86 percent of the project cost, while the state government will contribute 14 percent.
Moreover, the state government plans to invest Rs 107.06 crores to further improve infrastructure in 19 ITIs, covering a total area of ​​13,000 sq. meters.
At the same press conference, Minister Sushanta Chowdhury also addressed recent media reports on airfares, especially on the Agartala-Kolkata route. He clarified that such reports were inaccurate.
The minister emphasized that airfares are determined by airline service providers, with the Fare Monitoring Unit under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regularly monitoring fare regulations.
He noted that 60 percent of the seats on each flight are within the base fare, usually under Rs 4,000. For last-minute bookings, ticket prices are usually higher, especially for the 8-10 seats reserved for urgent or direct travelers. In contrast, those who book in advance usually pay between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000.
The minister also highlighted the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, launched in 2016, which aims to benefit the economically weaker sections by connecting under-served and unserved airports.
He, however, clarified that Agartala and Kolkata airports do not fall under the ‘underserved’ or ‘unserved’ category, making the benefits of the scheme inapplicable to state air travellers. Currently, there are around 16 flights daily in the state and a new Indigo-Airbus will soon be launched from Agartala’s MBB Airport.
The press conference was also attended by Director Industries and Commerce Bishwajit B, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Transport Subrata Chowdhury and Joint Secretary Maitri Debnath.