Tripura to establish re-group villages to rehabilitate Jhumias

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

Agartala, May 5: Tripura government is planning to set up more regroup villages to settle the Jhumias with an aim to bring positive changes in their lifestyle and livelihood. It is learnt that the forest department is planning to set up at least ten to twelve such villages in different parts of the state.

This was revealed during a meeting to review the activities of the forest department in presence of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

He said those who are still practicing jhum should bring back to settle cultivation and all re-group villages must have necessary facilities like drinking water, electricity, Anganwadi centre, healthcare facilities and accommodation.

Chief Minister told the forest department officials to take care so that the re-group villages are located close to tiol highways so that jhumias given rehabilitation get communication facilities and can market their products easily.

Special programme for rehabilitation of jhumias were taken up in Tripura at least four decade back and a separate department also was created mely Primitive Group Programme. But it failed to give desired result and could not contain this primitive method of cultivation through slash and burn method.

However, the forest minister recently said that the number of jhumias has reduced considerably and at present it stands around sixteen thousand families.

Chief Minister also lay emphasis on increasing collection from forest wealth and urged to encourage forest people to cultivate medicil plants which are in great demand. Similarly he stressed the need to increase cultivation of broom grass.