Tripura still has 141 distress pockets

From A Correspondent
Agartala, Dec 27 : One hundred and forty one distress pockets still exists in Tripura though the state government more than one decade ago has made an announcement that the word ‘distress’will be abolished from the state. The fact came to light recently when the statistics was tabled before the state assembly in reply to a question raised by the veteran Congress MLA Ratan Lal th. All these distress pockets are in tribal domited areas but surprisingly some of them are not very far away from the district or sub-divisiol head quarters. Highest 68 number of such distress pockets are in the state’s most backward district Dhalai followed by 64 in Khowai, 7 in North District and 2 in Sipahijala district. A village or hamlet is termed as distressed considering mainly lack of connectivity and communication facilities. Lack of other essential services like power, health care, education, drinking water facilities also come under consideration. Talking to reporters th said the statistics submitted in the house clearly indicates the living condition of the people in those areas of the state. He further expressed doubt about the veracity of it and said the actual number of distress pockets and villages are much more.