Tripura govt to take strict action against land mafia, says CM Biplab Deb

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday said that the state government would initiate strict actions against the land mafia and people involved in illegal land grabbing.

"If someone uses politics as a shield to run illegal works like land encroachment openly, I want to make it clear that they cannot save themselves from being prosecuted legally. The law will take its own course and no one will be spared", said CM Deb in a programme organized by Purvaudaya NGO and State Bank of India (SBI) on New Year.

Appreciating the role of new Mayor Deepak Majumder, Deb said, "During the previous Left regime, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Council failed to free illegally occupied land at the heart of the city. After the political change of guard, the new AMC council has succeeded in vacating those places."

The chief minister was indicating the demolition of a building in front of Maharani Tulsibati School in Agartala. The building was formerly known as the Trinamool Congress Bhavan when dissident Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sudip Roy Barman and his close confidant were in TMC.

After they switched sides with the BJP, the building came under the control of an anti-Left employees union that extended its conditional support towards the BJP prior to the 2018 assembly elections.

Deb also reacted to the allegations being levelled against the BJP government and the party leaders on the issue of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) recruitment.

"Now scopes are less to get benefits in getting a job taking political advantage. Unlike the previous regime, MLAs, Ministers and other influential people do not have any say in government recruitment. Tripura government is now recruiting people as per a fair and transparent recruitment policy. Only the meritorious candidates are getting the scope of employment nowadays", Deb added.

Deb also highlighted the Tripura government's initiatives to empower women and said the Tripura government has recruited 500 additional women cops in the State police department.

"I hope people of Tripura shall get the benefit of the transparent recruitment rules in the days to come", added Deb.

The Chief Minister spent the first day of the New Year with elderly persons at "Apna Ghar" old age home. SBI and Purvaudaya NGO organized a programme at the old age home in which CM Deb attended as the chief guest.