Tripura CM launches ‘Yoddha’ portal to tackle child marriage, drug abuse

Agartala, July 15 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday launched a citizen-centric digital platform, 'Yoddha', aimed at combating child marriage, drug abuse, domestic violence, child labour and several other social issues, while asserting that public participation is crucial for building a socially responsible and crime-free society.

Launching the 'Yoddha' portal, the Chief Minister said that the initiative has been developed by the North Tripura district administration to enable citizens to report various social issues and ensure that appropriate authorities take prompt action to address them.

Describing the portal as a citizen engagement platform against social evils, Saha said that the initiative seeks to transform ordinary citizens into active participants in the fight against social crimes.

He said 'Yoddha' will empower every citizen to become a warrior against social injustice, adding that anyone can report incidents of child marriage, drug abuse, domestic violence, child labour and other social issues through the portal without revealing their identity.

The Chief Minister added that the platform also provides support to victims of substance abuse. He said if a person is themselves a victim of drug addiction, he or she can anonymously seek counselling and treatment through the portal, adding that the initiative combines public participation with access to support services.

Later, while speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said that if the 'Yoddha' initiative proves successful in North Tripura district, the state government would encourage other district administrations to adopt the model to address social issues that often remain unreported or unattended.

He said the concept has immense potential, and if the initiative delivers the desired results, they will ask other district administrations to replicate it to effectively address similar social problems across the state.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Saha also presided over the 70th edition of the state government's flagship public grievance redressal programme, 'Mukhyamantri Samipeshu', on Wednesday, held at the TIFT (Tripura Institution for Transformation) Conference Hall in Agartala, reaffirming the government's commitment to ensuring prompt redressal of citizens' grievances.

During the weekly programme, the Chief Minister interacted virtually with residents of North Tripura district, listened to their grievances and concerns, and directed the concerned officials to take immediate and necessary steps for their speedy resolution.

The 'Mukhyamantri Samipeshu' programme, launched by the state government, provides a direct platform for citizens to present their problems before the Chief Minister in the presence of senior government officials, enabling immediate directions for remedial measures. Health services, medical treatment, welfare-related concerns and several social issues figured prominently during the interaction in the programme.

Owing to the programme's overwhelming public response and its success in resolving grievances, the government has expanded the initiative to the district level through virtual interactions, enabling people in remote areas to communicate directly with the Chief Minister.

Saha said that through the Mukhyamantri Samipeshu programme, he virtually listened to the grievances of many people from different subdivisions of North Tripura district.

He added that it is not possible to solve the problems of people who sit only in Agartala, which is why they have expanded this programme through virtual interactions to cover other districts as well.

He noted that after earlier conducting the programme with people from the tribal-dominated Dhalai district, Wednesday's edition focused on the issues and concerns of residents of North Tripura district, reflecting the government's effort to make the grievance redressal mechanism more inclusive, accessible and effective across all parts of the state.