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MP Jiten refutes Dy CM Jishnu’s claims on MGNREGA funds, Mass Starvation in Hills : MP points only 1.5 ‘Mandays’ generated for 6+ Lakhs poor, provides video proof of starvation, migration to Bangladesh by Dhalai District Tribals
TIWN June 8, 2018
MP Jiten refutes Dy CM Jishnu’s claims on MGNREGA funds, Mass Starvation in Hills : MP points only 1.5 ‘Mandays’ generated for 6+ Lakhs poor, provides video proof of starvation, migration to Bangladesh by Dhalai District Tribals
PHOTO : TIWN

AGARTALA, June 8 (TIWN): Starvation, poverty have hit the deep ADC and rural areas in post-election period of Tripura under Biplab Deb’s rule, followed by no MGNREGA work since few months centering the election. The dry era started one month before the election, when all funds under MGNREGA was stopped since January and no work was MGNREGA was given to the people led massive starvation, poverty in deep ADC areas specially. MGNREGA works were stopped in Tripura since the election time, which is widely known and the poverty gripped areas people, especially tribal people in West Govinda Bari, East Govinda Bari like areas were spotted going to Bangladesh in search of livelihood. But when allegation was brought on June 6, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarma calling media said, over 10 lakhs of jobs were created under BJP Govt. Reacting over Jishnu Debbarma’s allegation, MP Jitendra Choudhury with simple calculation pointed if over 10 lakh MGNREGA ‘Mandays’ are created for 6 lakh people, how many MGNREGA works the people got ?

If divided merely 1.5 MGNREGA mandays have reached the people’s fate. Less than 2 days MGNREGA works is not equal to starvation ??

MP said, near famine situation is existing in few hilly pockets of Tripura, particularly in Dhalai District and the villages are in border region.

Jitendra Chaudhury said, “People are compelling to cross over to Mayami and Kachlong Reserve of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh in surge of food. They leave their houses at early morning around 3 am, cross the borders at the dark hours. After crossing those areas, they travel another 20 to 30 kms in deep forest and collect Gandhaki and some other medicinal plants. By this time if sun sets and they have to spend the night in the forest”.

Referring the real incidents, Jitendra Chaudhury further said, “At midnight they they start returning home with their collect and cross in the border. Gandhaki is sold to the local traders at throw way price of Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 only per kilo, of which market value is more than Rs. 1,200 and mor”.

Hardly 5 to 7 mandays job provided in Tripura under MG-NREGA at maximum under the BJP Govt. There is also no initiative from other Departments, which has aggravated the situation.

Introduction of bio-matric system in PDS has added further stress to the rural Tripura. Referring the bio-matric system, MP recently in a press meet said, “In Agartala like cities to dial a single number, 5 times one has to click and how bio-matric can work out in villages and ADC areas.  

However, when Tripura CPI-M MP Jitendra Chaudhury claimed that almost no MGNREGA work was done under BJP Govt and as a result people are bound to go in Bangladesh in search of work, Deputy CM Jishnu Debbarma announced, above 10 lakhs mandays were created under the BJP Govt. Jishnu Debbarma also said, “If people are unable to get food, tell us. Govt will provide food to them”.

But Jishnu Debbarma didn't made it clear whether the mandays were created only under BJP era (From March 2018 to June) or comprising CPI-M and BJP era both. Not only this, whether wage has been hiked at Rs. 340 or not it was not mentioned by the Deputy CM after 3 months of the govt formation. 

MP Jitendra Choudhury said, if calculated only 1.5 days of MGNREGA works the people got in their fate at the cost of massive starvation.

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