Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday handed appointment letters to 211 candidates in the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department and the Power Department, asserting that government jobs were being provided transparently without political interference or personal connections.
At a programme held at Matangini Pritilata Auditorium in Agartala, appointment letters were distributed to 131 Agriculture Officers and 80 Degree and Diploma Managers in the two departments.
Addressing the newly appointed candidates, Saha said they had secured the jobs through merit, perseverance and hard work, along with the sacrifices made by their families. He urged them to discharge their responsibilities sincerely and use digital technologies, including 5G and artificial intelligence, to improve public services.
The chief minister said government jobs and skill development initiatives were among the measures being taken to address unemployment and promote self-reliance among young people. Around two lakh youths had received skill-development training so far, he said.
Emphasising the need to improve agricultural productivity, Saha said scientific farming methods, modern equipment and quality seeds were essential for increasing production. Tripura currently has 47 agricultural sub-divisions, and the government has decided to establish one in every block. The state also has 130 offices in the agriculture sector, he said.
Since 2018, the state has procured 2.79 lakh metric tonnes of paddy at the minimum support price from more than 1.44 lakh farmers, with Rs 573 crore transferred directly to their bank accounts, the chief minister said.
Under the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme, more than 2.85 lakh farmers in Tripura have received a total of Rs 1,021 crore, while Rs 11 crore has been paid to more than 1.29 lakh farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, he said.
Saha also highlighted initiatives related to Soil Health Cards, Kisan Credit Cards, organic farming, hybrid paddy cultivation and the Mukhyamantri Shasya Shyamala Yojana.
Reviewing developments in the power sector, the chief minister said the state had expanded its electricity infrastructure over the past eight years to improve the reliability and safety of supply.
During this period, 45 new 33 kV substations had been established, 410 km of 30 kV lines extended, 5,516 distribution transformers installed, 2,582 km of new electricity lines laid and 371 km of underground cables extended, he said.
Electrification had also been completed for 11,692 families belonging to the particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) community, including Reang families, under the PM-JANMAN scheme, Saha said. He also referred to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
Agriculture and Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said South Tripura, Gomati and Sepahijala districts had achieved self-sufficiency in foodgrain production, while Khowai had become self-sufficient in rice production. Unakoti and Dhalai districts were moving towards foodgrain self-sufficiency, he said.
The state was also focusing on expanding natural and organic farming and palm oil cultivation, Nath added.
Referring to recruitment in the two departments, the minister said the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department had provided regular employment to 787 people and appointments to 127 people under the die-in-harness scheme over the past eight years. During the same period, 1,336 employees had been promoted.
The Power Department had recruited 994 people over the past eight years, he said.
Of the 131 candidates appointed to the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department on Thursday, 70 were men and 61 women. In the Power Department, 58 men and 22 women received appointment letters.
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department Secretary Apurba Roy delivered the welcome address, while Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited managing director Biswajit Basu delivered the vote of thanks. Power Department Secretary Abhishek Singh was also present at the programme.