Tripura govt launches report card, says working for peace and development

The state happens to be the third internet gateway of the country, jointly built by BSNL and the Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited.

Saha said his government was working to address people’s problems and was committed to achieving “Ek Tripura, Srestha Tripura” (one Tripura, great Tripura), ushering in ethnic and communal solidarity and ensuring prosperity.

The report card cited among the government’s major achievements the following: social security pensions were increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 for 3.81 lakh beneficiaries; minimum wages for construction labourers were hiked; and subsidised loans were provided to entrepreneurs.

In the education sector, the report card listed Mission 100 of Vidyajyoti schools, launched in January 2022 to boost the quality of education; quality augmentation schemes like Nutan Disha, inauguration of National Law University, National Forensic Science University, three new government degree colleges; and two degree colleges.

The average income of farmers increased by 68 per cent from Rs 6,580 in 2015 to Rs 11,096 in 2021, according to the report card, which also highlighted achievements under schemes like PM Kisan and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the declaration of the queen pineapple as the state fruit.

Under the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, over 13 lakh cards were distributed and claims worth Rs 106 crore were settled for 1.84 lakh beneficiaries. The state got its first government dental college.

On the women’s and children’s welfare front, the report card said the government had reserved 33 per cent of government jobs for women, made education free for female students at government colleges, and provided medical facilities to 1.9 lakh pregnant women.

The government introduced the Ban Adhikar app to help forest dwellers and provided land pattas to 1.2 lakh of them. A new Ekalavya Model Residential School was opened and 13 more are being constructed for tribal students of the state. As per the BJP’s 2018 poll promise, the government set up Tripura Tribal Folk Music College, apart from encouraging education in different tribal dialects, the report card said.

Among the achievements in the tribal welfare segment is the introduction of the Chakma, Garo, Manipuri and Bishnupriya Manipuri languages in the higher classes. The foundation stone for an international Buddhist university was laid in south Tripura. The Darlong community was included in the list of scheduled tribes after the Lok Sabha passed the Constitution Order Bill 2022.

The report card mentioned the setting up of over two lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), 87,217 houses under the PMAY (Urban), and drinking water pipelines for more than 3.93 lakh households under the central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission. It also said that 247 km of six new national highways and four in-principle national highways were upgraded to the double-lane standard with paved shoulders.

Over 34,528 people benefited from the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme. The Destination Tripura Investment Summit was organised in 2021; the trade volume between the state and Bangladesh rose by 158 per cent; and a special economic zone was set up at Sabroom to attract private investments in export-oriented units.

On the governance and law & order front, the report card said that police’s unit-wise crime data indicated that crime had significantly improved in recent years. A special court was set up in Agartala under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and new fast-track special courts were set up in Agartala and Kailashahar for the speedy disposal of cases related to crimes against women and children.

When it comes to tourism, the report card said that the Pushpabanta Palace, which used to serve as Raj Bhavan till 2018, would be developed as the Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Museum and Cultural Centre with an estimated Rs 40 crore. Helipads were launched near the Dumboor hydro-electric power project in 2021 and 33 log huts were set up at the Narikel Kunja, Chabimura and Jampui Hills—all potential tourist spots.