Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Member of District Council (MDC) Rajeshwar Debbarma has urged Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha to review the reported decision to discontinue the Permanent Resident of Tripura Certificate (PRTC) as a requirement for state government employment.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Debbarma sought the introduction of a comprehensive domicile policy to protect what he described as the constitutional and employment rights of indigenous people and permanent residents of Tripura.

Debbarma stated that the PRTC has historically served as proof of domicile for employment in the state and has helped safeguard the interests of indigenous communities and permanent residents.

Referring to a writ petition reportedly filed before the Tripura High Court by a non-domicile person, the MDC said the state government had decided to do away with the PRTC requirement and proposed five years of continuous study in Tripura as the eligibility criterion for state government jobs.

While respecting the judicial process, Debbarma argued that the proposed criterion would not adequately establish a person's permanent connection with the state. He also expressed concern that the move could adversely affect students from economically weaker and remote indigenous families who are compelled to pursue higher education outside Tripura.

He further pointed out that Tripura has limited government employment opportunities and stressed the need for a robust mechanism to ensure that employment opportunities remain accessible to the state's permanent residents.

Debbarma proposed the enactment of a “Tripura Domicile Act” to provide a legally sound framework for determining domicile and eligibility for state government employment.

In his letter, the MDC urged the Chief Minister to keep the decision to discontinue PRTC in abeyance until a new policy is formulated. He also sought the constitution of an expert or high-level committee comprising legal experts, academicians and representatives of indigenous organisations and other stakeholders to draft a comprehensive domicile and employment policy.

Additionally, he called for the introduction of a Bill in the Tripura Legislative Assembly to provide statutory backing to the rights of indigenous people and permanent residents in matters of public employment.

Debbarma appealed for urgent intervention from the Chief Minister, stating that the issue directly concerns the future employment prospects of Tripura's youth and the interests of its permanent residents.