Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb to open North East youth fest on Thursday

AGARTALA: Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb would inaugurate the North East Youth Festival 2018 at Children's Park here on Thursday, sports and youth affairs minister Monoj Kanti Deb has said. At least 1200 youth participants from all the northeastern states are expected to be present on the occasion.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Monoj said a colourful rally will be held on the occasion to mark the beginning of the four-day festival.The Union ministry of sports has allocated funds amounting to Rs 3.75 crore to host the festival, he added.
The festival will include exhibitions on food as well as handloom and handicraft items of the region. Also in the offing are a rock band competition at Rabindra Bhavan on the afternoon of November 16, followed by a Kayaking competition at Neermahal and a tracking event at Chhabimura the next day. On November 18, a martial arts exhibition will be held at the sports complex. On the same day, as a part of the concluding ceremony, Bollywood playback singer Alka Yagnik and Sourabhee Debbarma of Indian Idol fame will take perform at Swami Vivekananda Ground in the evening.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were scheduled to attend the festival but pulled out at the last moment.