Agartala, April 02, 2026: Tripura’s senior cabinet member and Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Wednesday said that development in tribal areas would gain greater momentum if Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, asserting that BJP is the only party committed to the welfare and upliftment of janajati communities.

Addressing an election campaign meeting at Sambhuram Para under Bodhjungnagar-Wakhanagar in support of BJP candidate Ranabir Debbarma, the Minister said the state has witnessed significant development in sectors such as housing, drinking water, roads, and self-help groups under the BJP government.

He alleged that parties which ruled the state earlier failed to deliver development and cited welfare achievements in Sambhuram Para, stating that out of 749 families in the area, 300 families are receiving free rice, 129 families have already received government houses, and more than 183 additional houses have been sanctioned. He also claimed that the village now has 100 percent drinking water connection.

“People want education, health, food, clothes and basic dignity. In the last seven years, the BJP government has provided houses to 4.54 lakh families, whereas during 35 years of CPI(M) rule only 78,000 houses were provided. We are supplying 5 kg of free rice to 24 lakh people. Before 2018 there were 4,160 self-help groups, now there are 54,000 SHGs. Earlier Rs 28 crore was given to SHGs, whereas our government has provided Rs 763 crore and created 1.8 lakh Lakhpati Didis,” Nath said.

The Minister said these achievements were made possible because of the double-engine BJP government at the Centre and in the state, adding that if BJP forms the administration in TTAADC, it would become a “triple-engine government” and development projects would move even faster.

Highlighting tribal welfare initiatives, Nath said tribal communities have received due recognition during the BJP tenure and noted that several tribal personalities have been honoured with prestigious awards including Padma Shri.

He further said that around Rs 1,400 crore from the World Bank is being spent for development of tribal areas and that social pensions for Samajpatis have also been increased.

Accusing the former Communist Party of India (Marxist) government of neglecting tribal rights, Nath said BJP has ensured protection, dignity and continuous development for janajati communities, and appealed to voters to support BJP in the upcoming council election on the basis of development.