After decades of waiting, internally displaced Bru people in Tripura have started to live in their permanent houses constructed under the quadripartite Bru resettlement pact signed in the year 2020.
As per the official data, about 1,000 houses have been already constructed and the project that is listed as one of the priority schemes of the state government already entered its second phase, said Manas Dev, Officer on Special Duty for Tripura Bru rehabilitation and relief project.
Speaking exclusively toover the development that has taken place so far on the project, Dev said, "We have already started the second phase of the resettlement process. Right now, both phase one and two are running abreast and preparations for the third phase is underway on a war footing."
"As of now, 1,000 permanent houses have been constructed and beneficiaries have already started residing there. The financial benefits like Rs 4 lakh fixed deposit, Rs 5,000 financial assistance have also started. Works for the second phase is on in three plots located at Kalajhari under Amarpur (Gomati district), Hampsapara under Panisagar (North Tripura district) and Bhandarima-Pushpaban Para under Kanchanpur sub-division under North Tripura district. The first instalment for construction of individual houses has been already released," Dev said.
On the progress of the third phase, Dev said, "we are waiting to get some approvals cleared from the Forest department. As soon as we get the necessary approvals, we shall start the third phase of resettlement as well. Recently, Union Minister of State Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik chaired a crucial meeting and advised all the officials to complete the project as soon as possible."
As per the available details, for the first phase of the project, a total of 1,607 families were targeted in four places under North Tripura and Dhalai districts. Out of the total target, 1,454 families have reported at the places.
All three instalments for the house building were received by 987 families. The second and first instalments were received by 1,206 and 1,486 families altogether.
Work under the second phase has started only in two parts of North Tripura, where the targeted population is 1,327 families. Grand total for the second phase is 2,934 families.
According to the final census conducted prior to the beginning of the resettlement process, the total number of families residing in the Bru camps stands at 6,959 that accounting for a total population of 37,136.
The officials said, the third phase would be the final phase of the resettlement process and expectedly within a year all the remaining works would be completed.
It is also worthy to be mentioned here that the Brus fled away from Mizoram in the year 1997 fearing ethnic clashes that broke out in the Bru dominated regions.
Since then they were sheltered in six Bru camps located under the North Tripura district. Ending the 23 years long imbroglio, the Government of India announced Rs 600 crore rehabilitation project for them and the Tripura government extended its arms to give permanent settlement to the ill-fated Brus.
( With inputs from ANI )
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