Agartala, July 21, 2023: The leader of opposition in Tripura, Animesh Debbarma on Friday launched a strong critique against the ruling BJP-led government in the state. His accusations centered around the alleged misrepresentation of budgetary allocations and the lack of transparency in fund distribution to the Tripura ADC (Autonomous District Council) and tribal communities.
Speaking to reporters at his office in the state assembly on Friday afternoon, Debbarma expressed doubts about the figures presented by the government, which claimed that nearly 40 percent of the development fund would be allocated to the tribal population. He argued that these figures were not officially presented during the Assembly session and later during a press conference by Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath at the BJP party office, implying an attempt to deceive the public.
Debbarma questioned why the government withheld this information during the session and ignored concerns raised by other parties such as TIPRA Motha and CPIM legislators.
As a prominent leader of the TIPRA Motha Party, he also voiced concerns about the allocation of funds for the tribal communities. According to him, if 39 percent of the budget is indeed dedicated to the tribes, it would likely result in reduced funds for other communities, including UR (Upper Castes), SC (Scheduled Castes), and OBC (Other Backward Classes), leading to their deprivation over the years.
Debbarma proposed a more balanced approach, advocating for funds to be allocated proportionately to each population group. In the case of tribal communities, this would be around 31 percent.
Highlighting the importance of the Tripura ADC, established in 1985 to facilitate direct development in tribal regions, Debbarma emphasized that funds intended for tribal welfare should be appropriately directed to the tribal council for targeted development initiatives.
However, he revealed that the funds allocated to the ADC are insufficient, with a meager 2.7 percent of the overall budget being allotted to the council. This, according to Debbarma, is clear evidence of the government’s lack of commitment to tribal development.
Furthermore, he accused the state government of financial misappropriation and the failure to provide utilization certificates for the work carried out by the tribal council. Debbarma cited the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report, which indicated pending utilization certificates of Rs. 263.23 crore since 2020-21, including outstanding UCs amounting to Rs. 79.8 crore in 2020-21 and Rs. 184.15 crore in 2021-22.
To address these concerns and shed light on the truth, Debbarma demanded a thorough investigation into the state government’s actions related to tribal welfare since 2018 and urged the publication of a white paper.
He also raised questions about the allocation and utilization of Rs. 1300 crores promised by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her previous visit to Tripura for tribal development, seeking accountability for the funds.
Debbarma criticized the state government’s alleged lack of genuine commitment to uplifting the tribal communities, accusing them of empty promises and political hypocrisy.
The opposition leader also expressed condemnation for the incident of two women being paraded naked and gang-raped, as well as the ongoing communal violence in the state. He expressed surprise and disappointment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained silent on the matter, and the state government failed to take effective measures to stop the violence.
