in order to wean away Tripura's tribals from their traditional jhum (slash and burn) cultivation, a comprehensive rehabilitation package worth Rs 120 crore with rubber plantation as the main source of income, has been envisaged. Targetting 14,000 ha, the project is aimed at rehabilitating 15,000 tribals within the next five years.

"It is a difficult task cultivating through jhum . It is not profitable, but we cannot leave it as it is our tradition,' said a tribal farmer from Kamalpur subdivision. To encourage the tribals to settle, the tribal welfare department and the Rubber Board formulated a joint project in 1992-93 to raise rubber plantations.

The new project, known as Tribal Development Plan, consists of various projects like nursery, piggery, fishery and poultry which would generate an income of Rs 10,000 per annum per family and help participant families to sustain themselves.