Agartala: July 24: The Tripura Rajya Matsyajibi Union recently submitted a comprehensive 21-point charter of demands to the state government, calling for urgent action to improve the conditions of the state’s fishing community and ensure the welfare of the general public. The union also held a march to Raj Bhavan, which saw the participation of former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury.
Key among the demands is the leasing of government and semi-government water bodies to fishery cooperative societies without tenders and on easy terms, alongside financial subsidies to boost fish production. They also proposed a minimum monthly salary of ₹18,000 for cooperative society managers and stressed the importance of regular elections and audits.
The Union opposed the privatisation of Dumbur Lake and demanded pucca houses and toilets for homeless fishermen families, with the housing grant raised to ₹5 lakh. Door-to-door fish vendors should receive modern tools and interest-free loans. Fair wages for fish industry workers and weekly closures of wholesale markets were also sought.
They further demanded permanent, modern fish markets in every subdivision, a ₹5,000 monthly pension for fishermen and other beneficiaries, and restoration of removed pensioners. Free monthly distribution of 10 kg rice per head for poor families was another key demand.
The charter also called for increased student stipends, a halt to education privatisation, essential commodity price controls, and the regular supply of 14 key items via fair-price shops.
Additionally, the union urged the government to fill all vacant posts, end outsourcing in recruitment, uphold reservation norms, and provide permanent jobs to retrenched 10,323 teachers.
In light of recent floods, they sought compensation, aid for victims’ families, and ₹20,000 per kani for fish producers. They also demanded 200 days of work annually under MGNREGA and TUEP with a daily wage of ₹600.
