Development of country not possible without uplifting tribals: Tripura CM Saha

Agartala, July 14 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Monday that the development of the country is not possible without developing the Janajati (tribal) community.

The Chief Minister while addressing the District Level Mega Campaign on Dharti Aaba Jan Bhagidari Abhiyan at Belbari Rural Development Block in West Tripura said that he has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address some of the problems faced by the Reang tribals in the state.

“If we can’t develop the backward class people, then development of the country is not possible. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working for the Janajati people since 2014. Our President also belongs to the Janajati community, and one Janajati leader, who belongs to Tripura’s royal family, is the Governor of Telangana. All such things have been possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the Chief Minister said.

CM Saha further said: "What PM Modi says, he does and people really feel proud to have such a Prime Minister in the country. He (PM Modi) has been working to make the country stronger and to ensure a safe future for the next generation."

He said that people have seen how scams took place before 2014, and the same thing happened in Tripura before 2018.

Without naming any political party, the Chief Minister said that previous governments and erstwhile ruling parties used the Janajati community for vote bank politics.

"The BJP government always thinks about the people and the development of the Janajati community by making them self-reliant," he said, adding that the way PM Modi connects with people through Mann Ki Baat, “I doubt if any leader in the world connects like that”.

“We are public representatives, but we must not forget who we are here for, we must work for the people. We have so many beneficiary schemes. We must ensure that these schemes are implemented, and PM Modi personally takes note of whether they are being implemented,” he said.

CM Saha also said that in Tripura, the state government is providing various beneficiary schemes to the people ranging from drinking water, hostels for Janajati students, tribal multipurpose marketing centres, and providing land pattas.

Under the Dharti Aaba Jan Bhagidari, 779 Gram Panchayats and Village Councils would be benefitted, with 20 departments involved in the initiative, he informed.

The Chief Minister highlighted how the previous Left Front government had neglected the Reang tribals and mentioned the efforts of the BJP government since 2018 to improve their condition.

“Recently, I met them (Reang tribals) and became aware of their problems. I have sent a letter to the Home Minister regarding their issues to ensure they are resolved,” he added.

During the event, Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikas Debbarma, West Tripura District Magistrate Vishal Kumar, Secretary, Tribal Welfare K. Sashikumar among others were present in the event.

--IANS

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