Steps on to create employment, says Tripura CM on completion of 1 year in office

Asserting that the Tripura government is working toward fulfilling the poll pledges made before last year's Assembly elections, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said Saturday that steps are being taken to create jobs for youth and combat drug menace. At a press meet here on the completion of one year of his government, Deb said the BJP-IPFT dispensation has provided benefits of 7th Central Pay Commission to the state government employees and raised social security pensions to Rs 1,000 per month, as promised in the BJP's vision document.

The CM also asserted that budgetary provisions have been made to distribute smart phones among youths. "There is a notion that job means only government jobs. But jobs could also mean an opportunity to earn money.

We are trying to create platforms for entrepreneurs. In the past one year, the government has trained nearly four thousand people for self-employment," he stated. Deb also claimed that more than 1,400 positions were created in government offices since the BJP-led government came to power.

"The BJP-IPFT government is providing skill development training to unemployed youth. Over 800 have already applied for entrepreneurship assistance in small-scale enterprises," he maintained. Noting that the BJP-led government in the state has controlled the menace of drug abuse to a large extent, Deb said it was one of his "key achievements".

"Drug abuse is one of the main reasons of crimes against women. Our government has taken stern action against drug peddlers and addicts. Women feel a lot safer today. "In our journey towards making Tripura drug-free, Mizoram and Assam have extended cooperation to Tripura. Most drugs in the northeast is routed through Mizoram. The state's Chief Minister, Zoramthanga, has helped us to combat the menace," he said.

The chief minister also said that his government has zero tolerance for corruption. "We have taken action for dereliction of duties. Many officers, police personnel and other employees have faced the music for their corrupt practices," the CM claimed.

Criticising the erstwhile Left Front government for a Rs 11,355-crore debt burden, Deb said two zero-deficit budget proposals were passed in the Assembly after he came to power. "No new taxes were imposed on people in the past one year. We have passed a deficit-free budget of Rs 17,530 crore," the CM added.

(With inputs from agencies.)