Agartala (PTI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has requested Railways Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw to provide a special train from Agartala to Ayodhya for the pilgrims of the state to witness the inauguration of Ram temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the newly built Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

In a letter to the railways minister, Saha said a large number of devotees from the state is eager to participate and witness the significant event.

He mentioned that approximately 2,000 devotees from the state plan to join the auspicious occasion.

Saha requested Vaishnaw to direct the railways to run a special train from Agartala to Ayodhya on January 20 and a return train on January 23. He said pilgrims would bear the cost of the fare themselves.

The inauguration of Ayodhya Ram Mandir holds immense cultural and religious significance for millions of Indians, Saha emphasized.

He added that this momentous occasion symbolises unity, harmony, and the rich cultural heritage of the nation.

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Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the government may not be able to provide jobs to everyone, but it can create an ecosystem for youngsters to become entrepreneurs and innovators.

It is the responsibility of the government to support youth who dare to dream, he said.

After inaugurating the 11th National Conference and Exhibition on Emerging and Innovative Trends in Engineering Technology (NCEEITET) at the Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET) in Jammu, Abdullah said, “We may not be able to provide jobs to everyone, but we can certainly create an environment where our youngsters become entrepreneurs and innovators.”

The two-day conference is being organised by the GCET in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and the World University Consortium (WUC).

Addressing the gathering, Abdullah assured that all necessary steps would be taken to strengthen infrastructure and support systems at the GCET, ensuring that it continues to evolve as a premier institution.

The chief minister also inaugurated a new building for the School of Architecture in the college, built at Rs 19.71 crore.

Stressing the need to balance modernity with the region’s cultural and historical identity, Abdullah said, “Not every building needs to be made of glass and steel. Our structures must reflect our heritage and preserve our cultural ethos.”

Highlighting the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, Abdullah said they could significantly improve tourism management, visitor experience and service delivery in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, he cautioned that technological advancement should complement human effort rather than replace jobs, especially in a region where unemployment remains a concern.

The chief minister said that attracting tourists to Jammu and Kashmir was not difficult, but ensuring repeat visits required consistently enriching experiences and better infrastructure across tourism segments, including pilgrimage, border and leisure tourism.

To address the infrastructure gaps in the college, Abdullah announced that funds would be provided this year for the construction of an auditorium.

He also assured support for setting up an incubation centre in GCET.

During the event, Abdullah also released the e-proceedings of the conference, comprising 28 shortlisted research papers.