Tripura: CPI(M) tribal wing to submit deputation to Governor over rural job scheme, corruption

Tripura Ganamukti Parisad (GMP), the tribal wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), will submit a deputation to Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu on January 11. The deputation will address various concerns, including the low number of man-days in the rural job scheme and allegations of corruption within an autonomous council, according to a senior leader.

Addressing a press conference, GMP general secretary Radhacharan Debbarma said a programme has been chalked out in accordance with the decision taken in the conference of Adivasi Adhikari Rastriya Manch in Delhi on December 1.

"We want the BJP-led NDA government in Delhi to pass the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019 at the earliest as it is pending for several years," he said.

The Bill is intended to grant more financial and executive powers to the autonomous councils in the Sixth Schedule areas of the northeastern region.

The amendment will impact one crore tribal people in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, according to a tribal leader.

Debbarma also accused Tipra Motha of turning the Tribal Autonomous Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) into a den of corruption.

“There have been no elected bodies of the village committees, like gram panchayats, since 2021. In the absence of elected bodies, leaders of Tipra Motha are siphoning off funds which are meant for development work. We want the BJP-led state government to hold elections to the village committees as early as possible”, he said.

The TTAADC, constituted under the Sixth Schedule, has 587 village committees.

The former tribal council chief also lashed out at the BJP government over “shrinking man-days” under the MGNREGA, a guaranteed rural job scheme.

“The MGNREGA has generated an average of 42 man-days in the state with three months left to end the current financial year. Low man-days generation has reduced job opportunities for the rural poor,” he said.

“We will organise an agitational programme on these issues on January 11 and submit a memorandum to the governor seeking his intervention”, he said.