Dharmanagar, Feb 15: Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma paid an unannounced visit on Sunday morning to the Damchhara Tribal Girls’ Hostel in North Tripura, where he reviewed infrastructure, accommodation facilities and the quality of food served to students. Stressing that education reform requires more than classroom teaching, the Minister said modern infrastructure, a disciplined hostel environment and nutritious meals are essential to ensure meaningful learning outcomes.
During the visit, he informed that construction of two modern hostels with 100 beds each for boys and girls has already been sanctioned and work is currently in progress. He stated that without a conducive educational environment, students lose focus, which ultimately affects their aspirations and academic performance. Referring to the previous 35-year rule of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), he alleged that the expected modernization of the education system did not materialize during that period.
The Minister also reviewed the quality of food by standing in queue with students and sharing the same breakfast served at the hostel. Speaking about food allocation, he claimed that during the CPI(M) government, the daily food expenditure per hostel student ranged between ₹40 and ₹45, which has now been increased in phases to ₹100 under the present administration. He further remarked that educating tribal students would help them become aware of their rights and responsibilities, while reiterating that education must remain free from political discrimination and accessible to all.
Observers described the visit as more than a routine administrative inspection, viewing it as a reaffirmation of the government’s focus on improving educational infrastructure and student welfare in remote tribal areas.
