BJP govt sanctions Rs 30 cr for Tripura tribal council to pacify its ally

Agartala, Oct 9 (IANS) Responding to the demands of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), the state government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore to execute six vital development projects in the tribal areas of the state, Chief Minister Manik Saha announced on Wednesday.  

The authorities of the TTAADC, governed by the ruling BJP’s ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP), have been demanding for the past many months to sanction funds to implement various developmental projects for the tribals, who constitute one-third of Tripura’s four million population.

After sanctioning the funds, the Chief Minister said in a post on his X handle: “The state cabinet has sanctioned Rs 30 crore to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) for the execution of six vital development projects.”

“Our government remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing infrastructure, livelihoods, education, healthcare, and the overall quality of life for the Janajati communities in the Sixth Schedule areas,” the Chief Minister said.  

The six projects include an extension of a community centre and operationalisation of the Mobile Medical Unit (Rs 10 crore), the construction of an auditorium (Rs 10.30 crore) and the construction of a mini stadium with a grandstand in TTAADC areas.

TMP Chief and former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma thanked the Chief Minister for sanctioning the funds.

Debbarma said in a post on X: “After the signing of the Tiprasa accord on the 4th of March the first lot of funds have been allocated to the TTAADC. I am thankful that the Hon CM has listened to some of our requirements and taken this decision.”

He said that to run the TTAADC without development funds is difficult and “I also request the centre which has a larger pool of funds to also release some funds to the tribal areas.”

“The floods have created immense damage in our state and both the state government and TTAADC are struggling. The GoI should give a special status to our state and release money for both the ADC and also the Non Adc areas. I am sure all of us irrespective of party and ideology will agree that being a sensitive border state, Tripura needs special attention from the centre,” the TMP chief said.

The TMP has been demanding ‘Greater Tipraland’ (a separate state for the tribals) under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution upgrading the TTAADC. The ruling BJP, opposition CPI-M, and the Congress have been opposing the demand for TMP.

After signing a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government on March 2, the opposition TMP joined the BJP-led coalition government on March 7 and two of its MLAs – Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma -- became ministers.

The BJP along with its other ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) and the TMP together fought the Lok Sabha elections in Tripura during April-May.