Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday virtually laid the foundation stones for several new tribal student hostels across Tripura, under the PM Janman and Dharti Aba Janbhagidari Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan schemes.

The initiative aims to enhance educational access and residential infrastructure for tribal students in remote areas of the state.

As part of the project, six new hostels will be constructed in South Tripura district — specifically at Gobindabari High School, Naraifang High School (separate hostels for boys and girls), Binay Prasad Para High School, and Krishnaram Para High School in Jolaibari block (separate facilities for boys and girls). Each hostel will cost around Rs. 2.3 crore and provide safe accommodation for tribal students.

The main event of the foundation stone-laying ceremony was held at Kwaifang Community Hall in South Tripura, where Cooperative Minister Shuklacharan Noatia attended as the chief guest.

In his address, Noatia emphasized that no society can progress without education. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken special steps to uplift tribal communities through various educational development schemes. These include construction of new educational institutions and residential facilities for Janajati students.

He further said that 27 such hostels will be built across Tripura under the PM Janman initiative, and the number of Eklavya Model Residential Schools has been increased to 21.

Other speakers at the event included Jolaibari BAC Chairman Ashok Mog, South Tripura District Magistrate Mohammad Sajjad P, District Education Officer Dilip Debbarma, and Panchayat Samiti Chairman Tapas Dutta.

Foundation stone events at the other hostel sites were attended by MLAs- Pramod Reang and Mailai Mog, Zilla Sabhadhipati Dipak Dutta, Shantirbazar Municipal chairperson Swapna Baidya, and Bagafa Panchayat Samiti chairperson Krishna Reang.

Mohanpur: In another virtual event, the Union Education Minister laid the foundation stone for a 50-seat hostel at Radhanagar High School under Hezamara block in Mohanpur sub-division. The hostel will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 2.8 crore.

The event was held in the school premises, attended by Rabindra Debbarma, Executive Member (Education), ADC; Paschim Tripura Zilla Sabhadhipati in-charge Biswajit Shil; Hezamara BAC Chairman Sunil Debbarma and Vice Chairman Nihar Ranjan Debbarma; Sub-Divisional Magistrate Subhash Dutta; and BDO Manas Murasingh.

Karbook: The Union Minister then virtually laid the foundation stones for two more hostels (one for boys and another for girls) at PM SHRI Prahlad Sardar Para High School in Karbook subdivision. Each hostel will cost Rs. 2.3 crore.

The ceremony was held at the school, attended by MLA Sanjay Manik Tripura, Karbook BAC Vice Chairman Pranab Tripura, SDM Shyamjoy Jamatia, Inspector of Schools Damodar Tripura, Headmaster Binay Chakma, School Management Committee Chairman Saptam Kiran Jamatia, and local social workers- Hirannmoy Tripura, Vishal Debbarma and Manilal Tripura.

North Tripura: In a separate programme, Minister for Industries and Commerce Santana Chakma attended the foundation stone laying of DAJGUA hostel building (boys and girls) attached to Ujan Machmara High School in North Tripura district.

Chakma commented that the new hostel facility would largely benefit the Janajati students.