BJP MP Biplab Deb seeks urgent Rs 49 crore aid to resume Tripura lighthouse project

Former Tripura Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday announced that he has urged Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, to release an additional ₹49 crore for the completion of the lighthouse housing project in Tripura. The project, which aims to build 1,000 residential flats, was inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021.

Speaking at a public programme in Ramnagar, West Tripura district, Deb stated,

“I recently met Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and requested him to expedite the release of ₹49 crore to restart and complete the lighthouse project at the earliest.”

According to Deb, the original project funds have already been exhausted due to unforeseen ground conditions in the Akhaura area where the project is being constructed.

“The site is a wetland, and significant expenditure went into piling work—something that wasn’t foreseen during the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR),” he explained.

He added that the Ministry has forwarded the proposal for additional funding to its legal section to ensure procedural clearance and avoid any audit-related issues.

“I urged Khattar-ji to release at least ₹20 to ₹25 crore immediately to resume the stalled work,” Deb said.

Calling the project “ambitious,” Deb noted that miscalculations in planning led to the budget shortfall, but emphasized the need to fast-track progress to deliver housing benefits to citizens.

In a sharp political remark, Deb also appealed to leftist leaders to watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

“I urge communists to listen to 'Mann Ki Baat' to overcome hallucinations. The programme isn’t about the Prime Minister; it’s a platform for spreading transformative ideas and highlighting success stories,” he said.