Tripura government to launch Rs 30 crore tribal development mission

The Tripura government has decided to launch a mission with an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore to uplift the socio-economic condition of tribal people in the state, a minister said. 

A proposal to roll out the Mukhyamantri Tribal Development Mission was approved by the state cabinet, he said. 

“As part of the BJP's election manifesto and the budgetary announcement, the mission was green-lighted by the cabinet on Wednesday for tribal development for the current fiscal year," Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury told reporters. 

The mission will be started with Rs 30 crore, and the annual outlay will be increased in the years to come, he said. According to the minister, the Tribal Welfare Department will soon commence a registration process for families to be included in the mission. 

Claiming that the mission is "yet another bold step towards overall development of the indigenous people", Chowdhury said the fund will be utilised for building infrastructure such as roads, drinking water, and skill development to make the youth job-ready. 

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Earlier, the BJP-IPFT government had proposed to increase the seats of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council from 30 to 50 to ensure representation of all the tribes but the plan is still pending with the Centre. The council of ministers has also decided to push for an e-cabinet as part of the government's effort to make administrative work paperless. 

“Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid emphasis on paperless work, we are also on the way to implement an e-cabinet. It will be beneficial for all," he said. 

Chowdhury said the cabinet also cleared proposals for appointing 125 physical education teachers and school librarians, especially for newly converted Vidyajyoti schools in the northeastern state. At present, Tripura has 125 Vidyajyoti schools in which the CBSE curriculum is being taught. 

As many as 50 posts of supervisor (Group-c) in Tribal and SC welfare departments will also be filled up shortly as the cabinet has approved the proposal, the minister said. 

Besides, 75 assistant professors for the state's degree colleges and 14 faculty members for Ujjayanta University will be recruited as the cabinet has given the go-ahead to such proposals.