After a meeting with Chief Minister Manik Saha, supremo of Tipra-Motha Pradyot Kishore Debbarma on Thursday afternoon met the Chief Secretary of Tripura and held discussion over release of funds for development of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

A day after meeting Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Pradyot Kishore before leaving for Delhi on once again threatened to launch a massive agitation to protest the “deprivation of the tribals” and negligence to the

Speaking with media persons at the outside of Civil Secretariat, Pradyot Kishore said that after his meeting with Chief Minister on Wednesday night over fund release for development of Autonomous District Council (ADC), he along with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TTAADC, C K Jamatia met the Chief Secretary J K Sinha.

He said that without funds any developmental work could not be possible and ADC areas are suffering a lot in absence of developmental works. “We had a detailed discussion with the Chief Secretary over the fund crisis situation and urged him to release funds before the festival,” said Pradyot and added that there is no recruitment in ADC, hospitals are not able to render their services as per requirement.

The ADC has 960 kilometers of roads, but the state government has released only Rs 1.18 crore only, so with this less amount how can the council repair and develop such a big length of roads.

The state government, despite having funds not releasing for ADC and without funds , how the council will run, asked Pradyot and added that the purpose of the council is not meant for only salaries of staff.

“I have discussed with both the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary about the adequate funding to the TTAADC. The autonomous body is not getting its due funds from the state government,” Pradyot said. He expressed concerns about a fund shortage of the TTAADC, and accused the BJP-led state government of failing to allocate due funds for the development of the tribal areas.

He also said that tomorrow he will again visit New Delhi to meet some officials of the government of India and will return back to the state within a few days. Pradyot said that Tipra-Motha will organize a big rally on October 14 next at the headquarters of ADC, Khumwlung over the political demands.

Tipra-Motha, the state’s main tribal political outfit, after capturing the politically significant TTAADC in April 2021, has been demanding elevation of the areas of the autonomous body by granting a ‘Greater Tipraland’ or a separate state status under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

Regarding Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman's recent appeal to Deb Barman to return to the grand old party and take leadership in the state, Pradyot said that his current focus is on providing constitutional solutions to the issues concerning the tribal population.

Pradyot, who’s father and mother were Congress MPs from Tripura, was also the Tripura state Congress President before quitting the party over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act issue in 2019.

Pradyot’s mother Maharani Bibhu Kumari Devi was also a minister in the Congress led government (1988-1993) in Tripura.

Motha on September 30 had observed a 12-hour shutdown in the areas under the TTAADC, which has a jurisdiction on over two-third of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals.

Highlighting the 'Greater Tipraland State' demand, the Tipra-Motha secured 13 seats in the 60-member state Assembly, and became the second single-largest party in the Assembly polls held in February to get the main opposition party status.