September 12, 2020:  Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Friday laid the foundation stone for the state's first-ever Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Sabroom in the South Tripura district.

"This will surely transform Tripura into India's gateway to Southeast Asia. I hope that business transactions of at least Rs 2,000 crore will take place here annually. This SEZ will begin a new era of economic activity in Tripura through the Chittagong Port in Bangladesh, which is just 70 km from here," Deb said while addressing the audience at the event, adding that the over 5,000 jobs would be created in the new SEZ.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal also took part in the event virtually.

In December last year, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry had notified the setting up of the first SEZ, a sector-specific economic zone for food processing.

According to an earlier statement, the SEZ was estimated to generate 12,000 skilled jobs. Rubber-based factories, textile and apparel units, bamboo and agro-food processing industries will be set-up in the SEZ.

"The setting up of SEZ in Sabroom will open up new avenues to attract private investment, considering the proximity of Chittagong Port and construction of a bridge across Feni river in south Tripura, which is underway," said the statement.