Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha emphasised joint efforts between the State Government and TTAADC for tribal development, highlighting Sixth Schedule rights, improved drinking water connectivity, healthcare coverage, education and constructive dialogue to enhance the quality of life in tribal areas.
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that Tripura cannot be developed without the cooperation of the present state government and the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) administration.
He said both administrations must work together to achieve this objective, make it a reality and improve the quality of life of people living in tribal areas.
Dr. Saha said this while addressing the oath-taking ceremony of seven Members of the Executive Committee (EMs) of the TTAADC.
He said that those who took the oath today, along with all those present and the leaders of the janajati communities, should work together to build a new Tripura.
“There should be no room for doubt here. 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.
Dr. Saha said that everyone must work together towards achieving this goal.
“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 also provides for the right to self-governance, good governance and the protection of one’s identity and traditions,” Dr. Saha said.
Dr. Saha also referred to royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma’s statement that he is not 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. I agree with him on this. I, too, will stand with you. My doors will always remain sincerely open to you for any matter or issue that you may have,” he said.
He said that dialogue was essential and that a lack of communication often created gaps between people and administrations.
“We will talk. Many times, gaps are created simply because we do not communicate. As much as we can reduce this gap, you should understand my situation, you should understand our situation, and you should also understand your situation. We must explore what can be achieved through this process. As the previous speaker mentioned, there are many things that can be done apart from providing financial assistance, and we are confident that we will take up those initiatives in the future,” Dr. Saha said.
Speaking about education, healthcare and drinking water facilities, Dr. Saha said the state government was giving considerable importance to improving water supply in the TTAADC areas.
“There has been considerable discussion on this issue in the Assembly as well. Earlier, household tap water coverage was only around three per cent. We started working towards providing tap water connections to every household. What is the percentage today? It has reached 86 per cent. We often see various reports in newspapers, but we want to ensure that the actual situation reflects these achievements. Through innovative ideas, we are trying to ensure that the remaining households are also covered and achieve 100 per cent tap water connectivity,” he said.
Dr. Saha further said that people across the state were benefiting from the Chief Minister’s Jan Arogya Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
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“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 said.
