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Agartala, Aug 8 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday said the Union cabinet announced a Rs 250 crore special development package for tribals of Tripura following an agreement with two outlawed groups of the state.

Saha said that the funds will be used for improving the socio-economic condition of vulnerable and marginalised groups of people who have not benefited adequately from various existing government schemes.

“The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi Ji announced a new component under the existing central government scheme of special development package for Tripura”, he wrote in a post on Facebook.

Saha said, “Rs 250 crore for development of tribals of the state as per the MoS signed by the Centre and state government with the National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) groups”.

The two outlawed groups - NLFT and ATTF - have signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Centre and the state government on September 4 last year for lasting peace in the northeastern state, which had witnessed bloodshed in the late 1990s.

As part of the MoS, as many as 584 insurgents and their followers surrendered before the CM at Jampaijala in Sepahijala district on September 24.

With the surrender of militants, the chief minister and the then DGP Amitabh Ranjan had declared the northeastern state as terrorist free.

“The special package will boost employment opportunities, provide health services, promote education and skilling and income through livelihood activities for youth and women,” the chief minister said.

Saha added, “The outlay will increase inflow of tourists from other parts of the country, thereby creating additional employment and livelihood opportunities for the people of the northeastern region”.

Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma hoped that the Centre will release funds for the rehabilitation of tribal people.

“It’s been a year since the peace deal was signed by ATTF and NLFT and Govt of India . It’s also been a year since our well-wishers lost power in Bangladesh to an anti-India sentiment”, he wrote on Facebook.

Debbarma claimed that Pakistani intelligence agency ISI could have used them to create further trouble in the region, had that pact not been signed before "her government" was ousted.

“Only if Tripura is violence- and insurgency-free, a new tomorrow can emerge for all of us,” he added. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)