People's Democracy

 TRIPURA

 37-Point Package For Tribal Development Unveiled

ON September 15, giving yet another push to the process of comprehensive development of the backward tribals of Tripura, Manik Sarkar, chief minister of the state’s Left Front government, launched a 37-point package programme in a fervent and festive atmosphere at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan at the state capital, Agartala. This new package programme adopted by the Left Front cabinet is integral to the massive development activities set in motion statewide for the tribals of Tripura, and seeks to consolidate the concrete achievements of the 25-point package programme launched by the fourth Left Front government in the year 1999.

The function organised on September 15 afternoon to announce and set in motion the process of implementation of the 37-point package programme statewide assumed an added dimension with the massive participation of the seniors, students and educated youth of the tribal communities from all over the state. Throughout the function between 5.00 p m and 7.15 p m, the entire Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan remained jam-packed with people.

The 37-point package programme prioritises a number of schemes of tribal development, with the years 2003-04 to 2006-07 as the timeframe for its implementation. One such scheme is targeted at achieving 100 per cent success in the construction of brick-walled houses for all the schools in tribal areas. Special stress has been laid on agriculture, horticulture, road transport, electricity, drinking water and self-employment schemes.

Besides the chief minister, state Planning Board vice chairman Aghore Debbarma, Hirendra Tripura (chief executive member of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council), chief secretary V Tulsidas, and tribal welfare commissioner K V Satyanarayan also attended the function that was presided over by tribal welfare minister Jitendra Chowdhury. Among those present on the dais were minister of cooperation Khagendra Jamatia, Agartala municipal council’s vice chairman Bhubaneswari Debbarma and the state’s director general of police G M Srivastava.

Addressing the function Aghore Debbarma said that no minority community could develop its ethnic identity without the active and positive role of the government, coupled with the people’s participation. For example, he said, during the entire 30 years of Congress regime in Tripura, just 10 per cent of its tribals were literate, while the number of literates among the tribals has shot up to 47 per cent since the Left Front assumed office in the state. It is the Left Front government that has tirelessly worked for the social, economic and cultural uplift to the backward and impoverished tribals of Tripura in the teeth of extremist atrocities.

In his speech, chief minister Manik Sarkar reminded the audience that no development programme could bear any fruit without constant alertness and active participation of the people.  However, he pointed out that the herculean task of expediting the state’s comprehensive development on the basis on its own natural resources has been undertaken in view of the concrete successes achieved so far. He elaborated on the 37-point package programme, highlighting its emphasis on human resource development and infrastructure development with top priority to imparting of education and training. He once again fervently urged the militants and their mentors to return to the mainstream of democracy and development so as to further the Left Front government’s three-pronged strategy of combating insurgency through ideological, administrative and developmental means and thereby build a prosperous and progressive Tripura. (INN)