The Tripura government has introduced Jhum Sahayata Prakalpa, a new scheme to help jhum or shifting cultivators in the state.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, education minister Ratan Lal Nath said the decision was taken in a cabinet meeting which was held on Tuesday. Under the new scheme, the government will provide the farmers wages of six man-days under MGNREGA for planting, tending and harvesting the next crop to 6,979 jhumiya families and would be provided seeds for the next crop.

“The jhum farmers across the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) of the state is suffering because of the lockdown. A total of 6,979 jhum cultivators are present across the council areas. This is the perfect time to cultivate and harvest crops. Under this scheme, we will provide 2.15kg of jhum paddy seeds to each of them and for which around Rs 4.5 lakh would be spent,” the minister told reporters.

He said under this new scheme, the government will also pay Rs 1,212 for six days directly in their bank accounts and for which the government will spend Rs 84.58 lakh.

Nath said the cabinet has also mandated the use of mask or face cover at government offices or public places at all times and said violation of the order would incur a fine of Rs 100 in case of first offence and Rs 200 for subsequent offences.