AGARTALA, April 21 (TIWN): Expressing concerns about the unemployment tolls of Tripura, CPI-M MP Jitentra Chowdhury has termed the BJP led state Govt’s move of terminating JICA staffs as ‘Unfortunate’ and ‘Arbitrary’. “I totally condemn the step of BJP-IPFT Govt which slashed above 600 people from JICA project. It’s a matter of time that MGNREGA, SSA and other contractual employees will face the same thing under the new Govt. They just have started to show their real colours after coming in power, whereas before the election the BJP demanded contractual employees' votes promising about regularization”, the MP told TIWN on Saturday.

“JICA project received huge success in Tripura and Govt of India itself certified Tripura's achievements. Above 1100 crores of fund was ready to be sanctioned under the 2nd phase of the JICA project. We satisfied the project demand and thus the sanctioning was also finalized. The Left Govt had negotiated for JICA project fund, attempted hard for the next phase’s fund-release and the fund was all set to be released. But in the half-way the BJP Govt decision of terminating the staffs will be proven as a heavy loss to the state”, the MP said.

“Also I have doubt, whether the Govt has any intention to implement the second phase of JICA project and if the project is stopped, it will be a heavy loss for the people of Tripura under the BJP-IPFT govt”, Chowdhury mentioned.

“It’s a very unfortunate decision take by the Govt and I deeply condemn the move of the BJP-IPFT Govt. Moreover in the new project if the BJP takes new people, it will kill huge time as well as money to train them, when the 638 staffs were already trained and became expert”, the MP added.

“On the eve of the election, the BJP categorically mentioned the JICA project employees for their job continuation, but will political ill motive, the Govt under BJP is now showing its true colour”, MP told TIWN.

JICA Project Director & CEO G.S.Raju on Thursday issued the termination of the all contractual JICA officers, Livelihood Co-ordinators, Field Felicitators, outsourced personnel from immediate effect from April 19 itself. 

At the same time, over 36,000 families who were beneficiary from the project, the whole system has been stopped. The agitated JICA staffs after termination hit the JICA office, met the Project Director. Later, it was heard that CM to review the decision, but no official statement was received in this regard.