BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 20th August 2025 : Serious allegations of corruption, financial irregularities and administrative lapses have emerged in rubber plantation projects across three ADC villages- Unakoti, Hiracherra and Deoracherra under the Gournagar RD Block in Unakoti district. The Gournagar Panchayat Samiti has formally approached the Chief Secretary seeking intervention.
Vice Chairman of the Panchayat Samiti, Badruzzaman, stated that the absence of village committees and Block Advisory Committees in these areas has left the Panchayat Samiti solely responsible for approving projects under schemes like MGNREGA. He alleged that certain officials and ruling party leaders have exploited this administrative vacuum for personal gain.
According to Badruzzaman, from the 2023–24 fiscal year onward, hundreds of beneficiary names were submitted jointly by the Tribal Welfare Department and Tripura Rubber Plantation Corporation. As per policy, each beneficiary must be a patta holder, and only one member per family is eligible. However, records show multiple members from the same families have been repeatedly listed as beneficiaries.
In Unakoti ADC village, 351 patta-holding families exist, yet several hundred individuals were listed as beneficiaries. Hiracherra has 151 patta-holding families, but the number of beneficiaries far exceeds that. Deoracherra shows similar patterns of irregularity. Across all three villages, 786 patta holders were identified, but 799 individuals were named as beneficiaries.
Further controversy surrounds the reported diversion of rubber plantation allocations meant for Unakoti and Hiracherra to Deoracherra. Badruzzaman accused influential leaders and officials of staging this manipulation, undermining the scheme’s intent and depriving rightful patta holders.
He also claimed that MGNREGA funds are being redirected from the block level to the Zonal Development Office under instructions from the District Magistrate, effectively stripping the Panchayat Samiti of decision-making authority.
In response to these alleged irregularities, Panchayat Samiti Chairman Lakhi Nama and Vice Chairman Badruzzaman submitted a written complaint to the Chief Secretary on July 22. A copy has also been forwarded to the Chief Minister. However, no official action has been observed so far.
Badruzzaman remarked, “The Tribal Welfare Department has lost its way in the pursuit of money. A mountain of corruption is taking place in these three ADC villages. The government must initiate a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.”
