Reported by: Mrinal Banik
Agartala: The Tripura government has constituted two separate committees to examine land-related issues in areas under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and explore the merger of schools with low student enrolment into quality residential institutions, following discussions with Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma.
The Revenue Department issued a notification on November 6, setting up a committee to examine land-related concerns within the autonomous council area.
The committee will be convened by the Secretary of the Tribal Welfare Department, with the TTAADC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as a member.
Other members include the Secretaries of the Home and Revenue departments, the Additional Secretary of the Revenue Department, the Director of Land Records and Settlement, the Principal Officer of Land Records and Settlement, TTAADC, and the Principal Officer (Law), TTAADC.
Welcoming the move, Debbarma said the formation of the joint committee had been agreed upon during discussions with the authorities concerned.
He said the demand for land rights was rooted in the need to protect the identity, interests and future of indigenous communities and was not intended to target any particular section.
He called for dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation, saying the concerns of all stakeholders should be taken into consideration.
In a separate move, the Education (School) Department has constituted a committee to examine the proposed merger of schools with very low enrolment under the TTAADC with high-quality residential schools. The panel will also examine the rationalisation of the teacher workforce in the council area.
The committee will be convened by the Secretary of the School Education Department. Its members include the TTAADC CEO, the Secretary of the Home Department, the Director of Elementary Education, the Director of SCERT, the Additional CEO (Education), TTAADC, and the Principal Officer (Education), TTAADC.
Debbarma welcomed the initiative, saying the establishment of quality residential schools had been among the key demands raised before the state and Central governments over the past two years.
He said improved infrastructure, better learning facilities and a supportive environment were important to help children from the tribal council areas compete at the highest levels.
He added that investment in education and expanding opportunities for children were crucial to the development of the TTAADC.
The two decisions come after the recent Village Committee elections, in which the BJP and Tipra Motha contested together following years of political rivalry at the grassroots level.
The alliance followed an intervention by the BJP’s central leadership to bridge differences between the two parties, which had remained political partners despite frequently being at odds at the grassroots level.
The BJP and Tipra Motha had joined hands ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, followed by the signing of the tripartite agreement popularly known as the Tiprasa Accord. Its implementation has since remained a major political demand and a key part of Tipra Motha’s campaign.