Agartala, January 21 (TIWN): Tripura Governor PB Acharya inaugurated the opening ceremony of the observance of five-day long Statehood Day at Umakanta Academy ground today afternoon. Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty presided over the programme. Education is the most important thing to empower anyone, said Governor of Tripura P.B. Acharya during the inauguration of 43rd State hood day at Umakanta School ground, here today.Governor of Tripura P.B. Acharya further said that in Tripura the entire development process is moving on the basis of strong democratic system. In the priority list are education, agriculture, fisheries, irrigation, power, health and drinking water, road connectivity etc. As declared on the International Literacy Day Tripura has attained a literacy rate of 95.16 per cent. In this way, the overall process of development is making headway with active participation of the people of Tripura.

During the inaugural ceremony Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya also released two books namely ­Governors speak on the floor of legislative Assembly (1972­2013) and Tripura chief minister at national forum (1999­2013).

Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty said that the Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya before death on May 17, 1947 decided to join the Indian Union. After his death a Council of Regency was formed under the leadership of Queen Kanchanprabha Devi who signed the ‘Consent Letter’ for the merger on August 13, 1947. In fact the decision of joining the Union was taken before the death of Maharaja. Afterwards, on January 12, 1948 as per the advice of the Government of India the Council of Regency was dissolved and Kanchanprabha Devi was appointed the sole Regent. On September 9, 1949 in Delhi, Queen Kanchanprabha Devi, as the Regent and on behalf of her minor son Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya signed the merfer agreement. Ultimately Tripura became a part of the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, Chakraborty mentioned.       

Chief Executive Member of Tripura Tribal Autonomous Areas District Council (TTAADC) Dr. Ranjit Debbarma and Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Dr. Prafullajit Sinha, Chief Secretary K Kameshwar Rao and MLA Ratan Das were present in the inaugural ceremony.