Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Monday laid the foundation stone of the HP Ghosh Memorial Medical College at Lalchhari in Ambassa, Dhalai district, marking a significant step towards expanding higher medical education and healthcare infrastructure in the tribal areas of the state.

The Chief Minister also attended the Bhoomi Puja ceremony for the proposed institution, which will be developed by the HP Ghosh Memorial Foundation over nearly 20 acres of land. The medical college will have a capacity of 100 beds.

Speaking at the programme, Dr. Saha said the establishment of the medical college was part of the state government's commitment to bringing better healthcare and educational facilities to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) region.

“We had promised to establish a medical college in the ADC area, and that commitment is now being fulfilled,” the Chief Minister said.

He expressed gratitude to Bandhan Group Chairman Chandrashekhar Ghosh for taking the initiative to establish the medical college and said the project would contribute significantly to the development of Dhalai district.

Dr. Saha said the government has already undertaken several measures to strengthen Dhalai District Hospital and added that efforts are being made to further expand healthcare facilities in the region.

The Chief Minister stressed that development should not remain concentrated in Agartala alone. He pointed to the establishment of an Ayurvedic college at Tepania in Udaipur as another example of efforts to spread educational and healthcare infrastructure across the state.

According to Dr. Saha, the proposed medical college is expected to generate substantial employment opportunities, both directly and indirectly, with around 5,000 people likely to benefit. He also said that plans are being considered to establish a paramedical college in the area in the future.

Highlighting the broader development of the state's health sector, the Chief Minister said the government has decided to establish a health university by bringing various health institutions under a common academic framework.

He also referred to the recently organised business conclave in Agartala, where around 1,200 entrepreneurs and industrialists from Tripura and other parts of the country participated. Several investors, he said, have shown interest in investing in the state.

Dr. Saha further stated that Tripura currently ranks second among the northeastern states in terms of GSDP and per capita income, while NITI Aayog has recognised the state as a “front-runner” state. He attributed the progress to the implementation of the government's development-oriented programmes.

The Chief Minister appealed to residents of the area to extend cooperation and support for the successful construction and functioning of the medical college.

The foundation stone-laying ceremony was attended by Dhalai Zila Parishad Sabhadhipati Sushmita Das, MLAs Manoj Kanti Deb, Shambhu Lal Chakma, Swapna Das Pal and Chittaranjan Debbarma, Health Department Secretary Kiran Gitte, Dhalai District Magistrate Vivek HB, Bandhan Group Chairman Chandrashekhar Ghosh and HP Memorial Foundation Director Neelima Ghosh, among others.