Tripura surrendered militants seek Rs 500 crore package for rehabilitation

The Tripura United Indigenous People's Council (TUIPC), a platform of surrendered militants of the northeastern state, has sought a special central package of Rs 500 crore for proper rehabilitation of the returnees, a surrendered rebel leader said on Monday. 

Addressing a press conference here, TUIPC chairman Ranjit Debbarma claimed that the state government had failed to fulfil the promises of the 1988 Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) peace accord. 

"We met the special secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), AK Mishra, in Delhi on November 22 and submitted a memorandum highlighting the problems of surrendered militants of the state," Debbarma, the former supremo of the banned All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), said. 

"In the TNV agreement, it was promised that illegally occupied land would be restored and handed over to the indigenous people under The Tripura Land Reforms Act, 1960. But it has not been implemented. Besides, employment has also not been given to the surrendered militants. We highlighted these issues before Mishra and sought his intervention," he said. 

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"We have also informed the special secretary about the non-fulfilment of the 1993 peace accord between the outlawed ATTF and the state government. When the peace accord was signed, it was announced that Rs 20,000 would be given to each surrendered militant, but only Rs 15,000 was given to each while the rest was pocketed by the then ruling party leaders," Debbarma, who is also a Tipra Motha MLA, claimed. 

"Around 600 militants who had surrendered before central forces have not received any rehabilitation package yet. Now, we have been asked to compile a list of militants who have not received the rehabilitation package and submit it to the MHA for necessary steps," he said. 

Debbarma said the Rs 500-crore package will include a Rs 10,000 pension for each surrendered insurgent who has attained the age of 50 and more. He said the council will meet Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu, Chief Minister Manik Saha and Chief Secretary JK Singha to discuss the problems of surrendered militants.