Agartala, Nov 15 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Saturday that the state government is firmly committed to ensuring the socio-economic development of the ‘janajati’ (tribal) community, emphasising that inclusive progress remains a key priority.

The Chief Minister, while addressing a function organised on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas at the Khumpui Academy in the headquarters of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) at Khumulwng, said that the progress of the state is not possible without the development of the janajati community.

The BJP government is working for their welfare following the path shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Saha said.

“Because of Prime Minister Modi, we are getting to know about tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda,” he said, adding that PM Modi announced the celebration of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15 every year to honour the role of the janajati community in India’s freedom struggle.

The Chief Minister said that Birsa Munda is called a legendary tribal leader and the Prime Minister has understood the need to highlight his valour and heroism.

He added that like last year, this year too, Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas is being celebrated through various programmes.

“At the national level, this programme is being celebrated in the Narmada district of Gujarat. The Prime Minister will address the event there. The main programme in Tripura has been organised at Khumpui Academy in Khumulwng. Apart from this, arrangements have been made to celebrate this day through various programmes across the state. The state government is particularly committed to the socio-economic development of the janajati community. Due to this continuous effort, Tripura has recently won three national awards,” CM Saha said.

The Chief Minister also added at the event that the state government has taken several decisions.

He said that at present, 34,000 students are being given hostel scholarships in the state.

“In the current financial year, 2,700 more seats will be added in various student hostels.”

The hostel scholarship rate will be increased from the existing Rs 80 to Rs 100 per day per student from December 1, 2025, he added.

For this, an additional Rs 8.81 crore will be spent in the financial year 2025–26 and Rs 23.35 crore in the next financial year 2026–27, CM Saha said.

He also announced that a boys’ hostel with 100 beds will be built for college students at Abhaynagar in Agartala at a cost of Rs 5.74 crore.

He told that under the Chief Minister’s Tribal Development Mission, solar energy–based water purification systems along with composite solar units will be installed in 50 tribal government hostels with financial assistance of Rs 19 crore.

Tribal Welfare Minister Bikas Debbarma, Industries and Commerce Minister Santana Chakma, Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma, Rajya Sabha member Rajib Bhattacharjee, Lok Sabha member Kriti Devi Debbarma, Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha, Director General of Police Anurag, along with other public representatives and senior officials, were present at the event.

–IANS

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