Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today held the second meeting of the West Bengal ‘Tribes Advisory Council’ (TAC), which was reconstituted after the last Assembly elections on 9 July 2021.

According to Miss Banerjee, the Secretary of the West Bengal Tribal Development department tabled a detailed ‘Action Taken Report’ (ATR) before members in the 2nd meeting held at Uttarkanya here today. The ATR is based on almost all proposals recorded in the first meeting held in Nabanna on 23 August 2021, she said.

After the meeting, the Ex-Officio Chairperson of the TAC, Miss Banerjee, said: “Tribal land cannot be transferred in the state. We have already stopped it.” Notably, a section of nontribal people have allegedly been grabbing tribal land across the state illegally.

“All members are happy with the action taken report after attending the meeting, following overall development of the tribal community. We have decided to ready 20 lakh houses for tribal people in the next five years,” Miss Banerjee said, adding, “We hold such meetings twice a year. The next meeting would be held based on today’s suggestions.” “Chief Secretary was present here today. He would also hold a meeting with industrialists of six districts of North Bengal here tomorrow,” she told reporters at Uttarkanya.

The TAC was reconstituted with top administrative officials, from the chief secretary to district magistrates of tribal dominated districts, and departmental officials from both South and North Bengal, including Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Alipurduar. Also, 11 tribal MLAs and ministers in concerned departments were inducted in the TAC.

Significantly, the Governor has also nominated a tribal MP, Khagen Murmu, who was elected from North Malda on a BJP ticket. Though Mr Murmu was present in today’s meeting here, another BJP MLA and BJP leader Manoj Tigga from North Bengal was absent, “as he was preoccupied” today.

On the other hand, BJP leader and former MLA on RSP ticket Dashrath Tirkey, who was elected as MP from Alipurduar on Trinamool Congress ticket, also attended the meeting today. MP, Mr Murmu, was the centre of discussion today after opponents alleged that Miss Banerjee never held any meeting on development programmes by inviting people’s representatives belonging to other political parties.

Asked to comment, Mr Murmu, who nominated in the TAC by the Governor, said: “We are always ready to join any government meeting in the interest of development. We have been invited in this meeting, but the government does not invite us in other meetings.” “I have raised some issues, including coaching centres for tribal students for better study and also football coaching,” Mr Murmu said.