Agartala, Nov 10 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the overall development of the state would not be possible without close cooperation between the state government and the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
He said both administrations must work together to achieve the common objective of building a developed Tripura and improving the quality of life of people living in tribal areas.
Saha made the remarks while addressing the oath-taking ceremony of seven Executive Members (EMs) of the TTAADC. He said the newly sworn-in Executive Members, along with other representatives and leaders of the Janajati communities, must work collectively towards building a new Tripura.
“There should be no room for doubt. There should be trust. Sometimes, there are many issues. I often make commitments, but whenever I make a commitment, I have to see whether it is actually possible. We want to ensure that every demand is reasonable and explore how it can be addressed through dialogue. I am sure that no gap should be allowed to develop,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised that all stakeholders must work together to achieve the desired development goals.
Highlighting the constitutional and administrative importance of the TTAADC, Saha said the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution had granted several rights to tribal communities to protect their land, language, culture, traditions and socio-economic interests.
“Today, the role of the TTAADC in the constitutional and administrative framework is very important. We all know that the Sixth Schedule has granted several rights to the tribal communities. It provides provisions to protect the land, language, culture, traditions and socio-economic interests of the tribals. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution also provides for the right to self-governance, good governance and the protection of one’s identity and traditions,” he said.
Saha also referred to the statement by royal scion and Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma that he was no longer involved in politics. “But I have already said that one can work for people without being in politics. So, no matter what Maharaj says, he is with you. He has said that he may not be in politics, but he will stand with you in your happiness and sorrow,” the Chief Minister said.
He stressed that dialogue and regular communication were essential to maintaining a healthy relationship between the state government and the TTAADC administration, adding that a lack of communication often created unnecessary gaps and misunderstandings.
Speaking about improvements in education, healthcare and drinking water facilities, the Chief Minister said the state government was according considerable importance to strengthening basic infrastructure and improving access to essential services in TTAADC areas. He said the government had made significant progress in expanding household tap water connections across the state.
Saha further said that people across Tripura were benefiting from the Chief Minister’s Jan Arogya Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
“Tripura is the only state where 100 per cent of the population has health insurance coverage. No other state has achieved this. We are working in different areas, and there are several initiatives that I have already mentioned. The state government has considerable experience in these matters, and we will continue to utilise that experience for the welfare of the people,” he added.
–IANS
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