Shed communist-era mindset, take up entrepreneurship: Tripura

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb today called for a change in mindset among the state's youth and urged them to pursue entrepreneurship, instead of running after government jobs.

"The former communist government here could not create a mindset for developing entrepreneurship for the youths, so they always ran after government jobs. I want youths to develop entrepreneurship. Income does not mean they have to sit in a big building and work," he told reporters here.

The BJP and its ally, the IPFT, last month scripted history to win a two-thirds majority in the 60-member Tripura legislative assembly, ending the 25-year reign of the Left Front led by the CPI(M).

"I told my officers that every officer has to arrange income for at least 10 youths. Income can be generated by rearing cows, pigs or poultry birds. Income could be generated through Prime Minister"s Mudra Yojana for rural youths. Our target is to arrange income in three months time for 3,000 youths," he said at a press conference here.

Deb, however, declined to comment on recent media reports saying he has urged youths to open "paan shops" rather than chasing government jobs.

"I have nothing to comment. The media is my friend," he said.