Tripura Congress leader demands higher budget for tribal areas

Agartala: Congress Working Committee member and in-charge of Tripura Dr Ajoy Kumar on Monday said that the tribal areas of the state, which house about 33 percent of its population and constitute 60 percent of Tripura’s geographical areas, deserve a larger share of the state’s budgetary allocations.

He also said that if voted to power, the Congress will make budgets on the basis of population.

Addressing a seminar of Adivasi Congress at Muktadhara auditorium in Agartala, Kumar said, “Geographically, 60 percent of Tripura’s total land comes under the sixth schedule areas. In terms of population, above 30 percent of the state’s total population are tribal. But, in the state’s budget only Rs 400 crore is allocated for the tribal areas. The disparity in fund allocation is visible.”

He added that the indigenous people of the state are being deprived of what they really deserve and if the Congress forms the government, budgets will be made on the basis of population.

Taking a dig at the ruling BJP, he said, “Unless you people awake and fight for your rights, the BJP will keep exploiting you. Just because of the fact that representation of tribal people in the politics is lesser, such injustice is being meted out against you. You have to be aware of why you are in trouble and fight back. Our prime objective should be to keep fighting until the goal of victory is reached,” he added.

Advising Congress workers to intensify organizational work in the TTAADC areas, Kumar said, “Make a target, each of the Congress workers will reach out to 50 families in a stipulated period of time. People say to win elections you need money. I want to contradict and clarify: to win elections you need genuine votes. Tell people what kind of injustice they are facing. How the ruling party is trying to keep the tribal dominated areas economically backward. People will surely respond.”

Apart from Kumar, AICC secretary Szarita Laphtailang, PCC President Birajit Sinha, ex-MLA Asish Kumar Saha and other senior leaders also spoke on the occasion. 

Also Read: Assam: Vultures die by pesticide poisoning targeting stray dogs