Agartala, Nov 28 : The Tripura United Indigenous People’s Council (TUIPC), a platform of surrendered militants, sought a special central package of Rs 500 crore for rehabilitation of the returnees, as it claimed that the government has failed to keep its promise to the surrendered militants.
The militants surrendered from various armed rebel outfits like the Tripura National Volunteers (TNV), the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) floated TUIPC to fight for their rehabilitation, said former militant leader and incumbent MLA of TIPRA Motha Ranjit Debbarma.
TUIPC leaders met A K Mishra, Advisor of Northeast to the Ministry of Home Affairs, last week and raised the demands of returnees as per promises in a surrendered agreement signed among Tripura, the central government, and ATTF in 1993.
“When we surrendered, the government sanctioned Rs 20,000 for house construction. However, many of them did not receive the full payment, leading to difficulties in constructing houses. Under the TNV accord, three demands, including the construction of a radio station and the generation of employment, remain unfulfilled,” Debbarma stated.
There was a request for the establishment of a model village for the rehabilitation of returnees and urged the initiation of employment generation initiatives, including providing vehicles. Besides, they sought Rs 10,000 as a social pension for returnees aged 50 and above, but nothing has been considered so far, he pointed out and added, ”We have proposed a comprehensive package of Rs 500 crore.”