Statehood demand for Tripura tribal council

AGARTALA: The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura ( IPFT), a breakaway faction of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura ( INPT), today demanded that the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council ( TTAADC) be given the status of a state.

After a public meeting here, an IPFT delegation headed by its General Secretary Aghore Debbarma submitted a memorandum to Governor Devananda Konwar demanding elevation of the TTAADC to a full fledged state.

As the Governor was not present, the memorandum was received by governor's joint secretary Nabanita Roy.

The TTAADC, which came into being in 1985, constitutes one third of the state's territory and is home of the tribals who are one third of the state population.

Set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the TTAADC has an area of 7132.56 sq. km.

The INPT, the largest non left tribal party in the state, however, has opposed this demand saying it was not feasible. The party demanded more autonomy for the tribal council and direct funding from the Centre.