Biplab Deb: 'Brought transparency to Tripura in three-and-half months'

Biplab Deb, who has been in the news for his controversial comments ever since he took over as Tripura Chief Minister six months ago in March, said on Saturday that he brought transparency in the system in three and a half months.

"It took me three and a half months to bring in transparency in the system. We introduced a transparent recruitment policy as well," Deb said.

According to Deb, the state was in a debt of Rs 11,500 core. However, he is optimistic to make it a model one in the next three years.

Asked if Tripura is also planning to do Assam-like NRC, Deb it was up to the Centre to decide. But until then, there was no plan to implement an NRC in Tripura.

"We should wait for the results from the Assam NRC and then see if we want to implement it in other states or not," Deb said, adding that the Assam NRC is an issue of Assam and the Centre.

During his tenure as Tripura CM, Deb has made it to headlines often because of his statements. In August, Deb said he wanted to distribute ducks among villagers in Tripura because they would boost the rural economy by recycling water and raising oxygen levels in the water. When ducks swim in water, the oxygen level automatically increases in the water body,” Deb said.

“Fish in the water will get more oxygen. They also benefit from the bird droppings. Thus, Pisciculture will benefit and fish will grow faster, that too in a completely organic way,” Deb had said.  

In May, addressing a public gathering, the chief minister said famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore refused the Nobel Prize in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which took place on 13 April 1919."Besides being a world-famous poet, Rabindranath Tagore is also known for rejecting the Nobel Prize in protest against the British government," Deb had said.

In April, Deb advised the educated youth to stop “wasting time” in search of government jobs and start breeding cows.“There should be a cow in every home. Here, milk is being sold at Rs 50 per litre. A graduate roams around in search of a job for 10 years. Had he bred a cow for 10 years, a bank balance of Rs 10 Lakh would have been a realty by now,” Deb had said.

(With PTI inputs)