28,000 tribal families to be rehabilitated in Tripura

Agartala, Jan 22: The Tripura Forest department will rehabilitate as many as 28,000 tribal families in different parts of the state under the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) project.

JBIC officials said here today that according to the decision, the project would be implemented to regenerate economic bases in 257 forest clusters and all the Below Poverty Line families would also get assistance.

Japan has assured to continue its support in the form of loans for boosting the bilateral trade between both the countries while expressing interest to invest in the forestry sector to promote forest-based economy in the Northeastern region.

''The project, to be completed in eight years, covering an area of 7,023 sq km and three wildlife sanctuaries, would have a healthy impact on the environment,'' the officials said adding that as many as 456 joint forest management committees and 1,250 self-help groups would be involved in implementing the first ever externally aided project in the state.

Tripura was the first state in the NE to receive financial assistance from the JBIC under the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) project in 2007-08.

UNI