Agartala, Apr 19, 2023, TRIPURA TIMES Desk
Agartala, Apr 19: A plan is in the pipeline to invest Rs. 100 crore for preservation and development of tribal culture of the state through a Tribal Research & Cultural Institute being set up at Lembucherra under West Tripura district, Tribal Welfare minister Bikash Debbarma said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference at Tripura State Academy for Tribal Culture, Suparibagan, Debbarma said, the institute is being constructed on approximately 10 acres of land and it would have a museum, library, auditorium and 19 tribal live huts inside.
Additional Director Ananda Hari Jamatia, Joint Director Rinku Reang and V. Darlong were present at the press conference.
The Minister also informed, a long-term plan has been taken for socio-economic development of the indigenous communities of Tripura through cluster formation in the field of agriculture, horticulture, animal rearing, fish farming and rubber with the financial aid of the World Bank.
Special emphasis would be given to improve the quality of education, connectivity and lifestyle in 12 Aspirational blocks of the state. For this purpose, a scheme, Tripura Rural Economic Growth and Sustainable Service Delivery Project (TRESP) is being planned. It would benefit over 75,000 families.
The Minister also informed that 1,31,692 families were given pattas in the state due to implementation of Forest Rights Act. Among them, 32, 722 families have been provided with housing facilities. Rs. 49.50 lakh has been provided for treatment of the tribals of the state by the Tribal Welfare department in 2022-23.
He also spoke about the other plans and initiatives taken by the state government for Tribal welfare.
In the past 5 years, boarding house stipend has been provided to 27,626 tribal students of Class-I to XII. Besides, pre-matric stipend (Class VI to VIII) has been provided to 1,20,756 students, pre-matric stipend (Class IX to X) has been provided to 49,527 students and post-matric stipend has been provided to 1,08,439 students. A one-time assistance of Rs. 1 lakh has been provided to 321 tribal students. Free textbooks have been provided to 1,23,387 students.
Apart from this, total 606 tribal students have been provided with assistance to pursue B.Ed, D.LDA including nursing in the state as well as outside the state. The Minister also informed that 208 books have been published through Tribal Research & Cultural Institute. These books are on sale at 25 per cent discount. Apart from that, interested readers may also go and read the books at the website.
He also said, the Directorate of Economics and Statistics works as a Nodal department for census and economic census in the state. It has its office in 4 districts. Steps would be taken to open in other districts.