TRIPURA Government has announced a 37-point special tribal development package with a view to establish peace and development in the state, beleaguered by decade old militancy. The special package named ‘Himsoukung’ (A tribal word for progress) is an enhanced version of the 25-point tribal development package announced earlier in August 1999.

Under Himsoukung, special project would be taken up for setting up of  cluster village along the National Highways comprising of 4000 families so as to protect them from militancy and to provide them better education and quality life. It also has fresh schemes on education, health services, infrastructure development in the tribal -dominated areas for economic upliftment arts and culture to be completed by 2007 next. At least 15,000 tribal families would be proved dwelling houses and for the rehabilitation of at least 3000 tribal families, rubber plantation schemes would be taken up in 3000 hectare areas.

The package which consists of five heads emphasises on education as the drop out rate of the tribal students is nearly 70 per cent and the new programme aims to bring it down to 40 percent by 2007 through massive recruitment of teachers, construction of school buildings, administrative smoothness and setting up of two more residential school buildings.

Besides, all the primary schools in the TTAADC area will be converted to RCC buildings and ten more higher secondary schools to be provided with science stream in a phased manner. In the Health head, every village will now have at least five trained nurses for safe and healthy delivery of baby and care of pregnant mothers. In the infrastructure sector, the government plans to bring under irrigation 50, 000 more hectares besides identifying ten villages for intensive development.

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