The Council of Ministers led by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha gave nod to allot lands to tea workers of the State under the Mukhyamantri Cha Shramik Kalyan Yojana. Besides, the cabinet also decided to create six new posts for Motor Vehicles Inspector (MVI) posts under the Transport department and to begin paddy procurement from June with a target of 20,000  MT paddy procurement during the drive, said ICA Minister Sushanta Chowdhury in Agartala on Tuesday.

 

Addressing the media Chowdhury said former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb introduced Mukhyamantri Cha Shramik Yojana (Chief Minister’s Tea Workers Welfare Scheme) and incumbent Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha led cabinet, in line with the Scheme, has given nod to allot 2-3 ganda khas land to the tea workers free of cost. The ICA Minister said the decision will benefit families of a total of 7230 tea workers in the state.

 

Talking about other decisions taken in today’s cabinet meeting Sushanta Chowdhury said, there were 19 MVI posts under the transport department of these, 13 are working MVI. The remaining 6 posts were abolished. The cabinet has decided to create those 6 posts and appoint new ones. These 6 posts will be filled through TPSC.

 

In this connection, the Minister said, scope of activities of the Transport department has increased owing to expansion of water, rail and roadways. The Transport department collected a revenue worth Rs 100.58 crore  in 2021-22.

 

Chowdhury added, the cabinet has decided to implement an electric vehicle policy for the transport department for the next five years. 

 

There are total 60,000 vehicles – two wheelers 42,000, three-wheelers 10,000, four-wheelers 7,500 and buses 500 – in the State and by the electric vehicle policy, 10 per cent of the existing 60,000 vehicles would be converted to electric vehicles.

 

Commenting on the paddy procurement, he said, the Tripura government has been buying paddy twice a year since 2018 to strengthen the economic base of the farmers of the state.

 

So far, paddy worth Rs 192.52 crore were procured from farmers. Chowdhury said, the cabinet  has decided to purchase 20,000 metric tons of paddy in the Kharif season. The State Government will incur a cost of Rs 45 crore. From the first week of June, the paddy will be procurement at 32 centers at a price of Rs 19.40 will start, said Minister Sushant Chowdhury.