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State Washes Its Hands Off TTAADC Pension Crisis

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
  • Nov 06, 2025
  • 1514

In a development that has sparked fresh debate over administrative accountability within Tripura’s tribal governance structure, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy on Thursday categorically stated that the state government bears no responsibility for unpaid pensions of retired employees from the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) — a body currently governed by Tipra Motha, an ally of the ruling BJP.

The statement came amid ongoing protests in front of the TTAADC headquarters by the TTAADC Pensioners Association, which alleges that 396 retired personnel have been deprived of their rightful pensions for months. The pensioners have accused both the council administration and the state finance department of neglect and bureaucratic delay.

Addressing reporters in Agartala, Singha Roy asserted that the state government operates strictly under its own legal and financial framework.

 “No retired employee under the state government is deprived of pension. If the TTAADC administration appointed these individuals, it is their responsibility to ensure pensions are paid. The state government has no liability in this matter,”
the minister said, adding that the identity and service records of these employees must first be verified.

The TTAADC authorities, on their part, have alleged a severe fund crunch, claiming that the state government has failed to release adequate financial support for salaries, pensions, and administrative operations. Senior council officials privately told this publication that multiple letters and reminders have been sent to the finance department without any concrete response.

A top source within the TTAADC, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

“The council has both deputed staff from the state and employees recruited under its own structure. While deputed staff receive pensions directly from the state treasury, those appointed by the council are caught in a financial limbo due to lack of funds."

The pension controversy has exposed widening cracks between the BJP-led state government and its tribal ally Tipra Motha, ahead of crucial local elections.

Observers see the minister’s remarks as an attempt to draw a clear boundary between state and autonomous governance—potentially shifting the blame towards the TTAADC administration.

With retired employees threatening to intensify their agitation if their dues remain unpaid, the standoff has now become a litmus test for both governments’ commitment to the welfare of tribal employees.