Latest news with #TSF
Hans India
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Tripura students' body fights for Kokborok
Tripura: The Twipra Students' Federation (TSF), an indigenous Student body of Tripura, launched an indefinite strike demanding for the adoption of the Roman scripture for Kokborok. Kokborok, the primary language of Tripura's indigenous communities, was first recognized as an official state language in 1979 for the first time under the two commissions set up by Legislator Shyama Charan Tripura and Linguist Pabitra Sarkar. But disputes over its script remain unresolved. Hundreds of TSF and Youth Tipra Federation (YTF) activists gathered at several parts of Agartala, calling for the immediate recognition of the Roman script as Kokborok's official writing system and postponement of the Class 10 and 12 Kokborok exams until the issue is resolved. The controversy over script reignited last year, when TBSE (State board) chief Dr Dhananjoy Gonchoudhury instructed all the examination center to permit only the Bengali script for writing Kokborok. TSF in-charge and YTF General Secretary James Debbarmacritisisedthe State Government for consistently ignoring the demands of the indigenous people for over five decades and failing to respect the linguistic preferences of the community. Kokborok serves as the lingua franca amongst the tribes of Tripura. To maintain this linguistic balance, the language must be accessible in the script that is most widely used. A survey conducted in 2019-2020 by the Directorate of Higher Education, Government of Tripura, found that only 6 out of 6649 students chose the Bengali script. Similarly, a 2021-2022 survey found that just 4 out of 9147 students used the same, showing that 98% preferred the Roman script. These findings highlight the need to implement the Roman scripture for Kokborok to protect students' rights, promote literacy, and preserve Tripura's linguistic and cultural heritage.
Zawya
25-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The Gambia: African Development Fund Approves $19.93 Million Grant to Tackle Fragility and Expand Opportunities for Rural Youth and Women
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group ( has approved $19.93 million grant funding for the Resilience Building - Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project, designed to improve access to basic social services for underserved communities in The Gambia. The initiative seeks to address the root causes of poverty and irregular migration by creating sustainable livelihoods and tackling early signs of fragility and preventing structural drivers of conflict and instability in the targeted region. It forms part of the Bank's scaled-up prevention agenda under the Prevention Envelope of the Transition Support Facility (TSF), which emphasizes early response to fragility risks and systematic drivers of conflict. The Gambia faces severe economic challenges, with 53.4% of the population living below the poverty line. Poverty is particularly severe in rural areas, affecting 76 percent of residents, compared to 34 percent in urban areas. Youth unemployment stands at 38.6%, with women disproportionately impacted -- 1.3 unemployed women for every unemployed man. These socio-economic disparities, coupled with limited access to services, are major push factors fuelling irregular migration and social instability. Although the country has achieved robust electricity access nationwide, glaring regional inequalities persist. In areas such as Kuntaur and Janjanbureh, fewer than one in four people have access to electricity, compared to 95 percent in the capital. Additionally, one in four children suffers from malnutrition. By targeting these gaps, the project aims to renew the social contract and foster community resilience. 'This project represents our commitment to tackling the foundational causes of fragility, poverty, exclusion, and lack of opportunity, by investing in people and systems that build community resilience and hope,' said Dr. Joseph Ribeiro, African Development Bank Deputy Director General for West Africa, and Country Manager for The Gambia. 'Through the TSF Prevention Envelope, we are acting early to prevent conflict and youth migration by fostering inclusive growth, gender equality, and institutional stability, while building foundations for sustainable livelihoods that will keep families and communities together.' The project will directly create 1,500 jobs, enhance productivity for 5,000 existing positions, and provide annual skills training to 500 youth in high-demand sectors such as agriculture, engineering, ICT, and renewable energy. In addition, support will be extended to 500 women-led micro and small enterprises and 50 women's cooperatives. Key investments in health infrastructure will include rehabilitating four primary health facilities vulnerable regions, including Basse, Kuntaur, and Janjanbureh, where maternal mortality and child malnutrition rates exceed national averages. Enhanced nutrition surveillance systems will enable early detection for 22,000 children and facilitate treatment for 1,000 children requiring specialized care. Food insecurity has surged, rising from 13.4 percent in 2021 to 29 percent in 2023, with peaks of 61 percent in areas such as Kuntaur. The project will address this crisis by promoting climate-smart agriculture and strengthening local values chains to improve food security and reduce vulnerability to climate shocks. Financial inclusion is a core pillar of the intervention. With 77 percent of Gambian youth currently excluded from formal financial services, the project will establish dedicated credit lines and provide business development support to unlock entrepreneurship, particularly for women who face systemic barriers to accessing capital and markets. The initiative also includes scaling up efforts to tackle gender-based violence and inequality, and capacity-building for government institutions to enhance data-driven policymaking and long-term monitoring of fragility trends. Civil society organisations, including the Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO), will be central to ensuring the project is inclusive, participatory, and aligned with national priorities. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Media Contact: Natalie Nkembuh, Communication and Media Relations Department media@
Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tipra Motha demands immediate detection, deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Tripura
The Tipra Motha – a constituent of the ruling BJP-led alliance – has demanded the detection and deportation of all illegal migrants from Bangladesh residing in Tripura. A four-member delegation of the party, led by MLA Ranjit Debbarma, met Governor N Indrasena Reddy and raised the demand on Friday. 'We met the Governor today. The issue is that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has stipulated a 30-day timeframe to start the process of detection and deportation of illegal migrants in Tripura. In other states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Assam, the process has already started. We have demanded that the process be started in Tripura too,' Debbarma told reporters after meeting Governor Reddy. He added that a similar kind of notification was also issued in 2017. The Tipra Motha leader said that not only the illegal migrants, but also those providing shelter to them, must be brought under the purview of the law. Earlier, Debbarma wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the illegal entry of Bangladeshi nationals, urging him to push them back. The Twipra Students' Federation (TSF) has also demanded that the government start the process of detecting and deporting Bangladeshi migrants staying illegally in the state. 'We have seen that other states are doing it. But the Tripura government is silent. We appeal to the government to take strong initiative regarding the notification. We have started the 'clean and drive illegal migrants mission' from today,' Hamal Jamatia, General Secretary, TSF, said. As per a report of the Tripura Police, 816 Bangladeshi nationals, 79 Rohingya persons, and two Nigerians were arrested between January 1, 2024, and February 28 this year for staying illegally in Tripura. A further breakup of the data shows that 483 illegal foreigners were arrested from August 5, 2024, when the Sheikh Hasina government fell in Bangladesh.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Tripura students org launches drive against illegal immigrants
Agartala: The Twipra Students' Federation (TSF), a wing of the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), on Thursday announced the launch of a Clean Illegal Immigrants Drive-Out Mission. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They urged Tripura govt to take steps to implement ministry of home affairs (MHA) directive on the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. TSF general secretary Hamalu Jamatia said the TSF expresses its deep concern following the notification issued by the MHA on May 19 on illegal immigrants. They said the notification clearly instructs all state govts, including Tripura, to identify and deport illegal immigrants from Bangladesh within 30 days. "We urge the Govt of Tripura to take this matter with the highest degree of seriousness. Reports and updates from various regions of the state indicate a steady influx and settlement of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and in many instances, individuals have already been apprehended by local authorities. Despite these actions, the problem continues to escalate," he said. They claimed that the TSF is receiving credible reports of illegal immigrants settling in several districts, including Gomati, Dhalai, Sepahijala, South Tripura, West Tripura, and North Tripura. This widespread and unauthorised settlement poses a serious threat to the demographic balance, land rights, cultural identity, and overall security of the indigenous people of Tripura. Agartala: The Twipra Students' Federation (TSF), a wing of the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), on Thursday announced the launch of a Clean Illegal Immigrants Drive-Out Mission. They urged Tripura govt to take steps to implement ministry of home affairs (MHA) directive on the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now TSF general secretary Hamalu Jamatia said the TSF expresses its deep concern following the notification issued by the MHA on May 19 on illegal immigrants. They said the notification clearly instructs all state govts, including Tripura, to identify and deport illegal immigrants from Bangladesh within 30 days. "We urge the Govt of Tripura to take this matter with the highest degree of seriousness. Reports and updates from various regions of the state indicate a steady influx and settlement of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and in many instances, individuals have already been apprehended by local authorities. Despite these actions, the problem continues to escalate," he said. They claimed that the TSF is receiving credible reports of illegal immigrants settling in several districts, including Gomati, Dhalai, Sepahijala, South Tripura, West Tripura, and North Tripura. This widespread and unauthorised settlement poses a serious threat to the demographic balance, land rights, cultural identity, and overall security of the indigenous people of Tripura.
Zawya
05-05-2025
- General
- Zawya
Illegal mining: A key risk to tailings dams management and mine closure
Artisanal mining often occurs close to an operating mine, even to access the same deposit. In many parts of Africa, illegal artisanal miners mine tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and rock dumps, which pose a significant risk to the management of tailings dams. SRK Consulting considers the risk that illegal artisanal miners pose in the management of tailings dams in many parts of Africa The same TSF risks that face nearby communities could then apply to these miners. James Lake, partner and principal environmental scientist at SRK Consulting South Africa (SA), explains that TSFs, as part of a mine's lease area, are usually well protected by security infrastructure and services during the mine's operational years. However, the risks related to unauthorised access tend to escalate post-closure. 'In Tanzania, for instance, we have witnessed artisanal miners on a TSF, where the tailings were also being removed for use as construction material,' he says. In SRK's experience, mines often create 'attractive nuisances' after they close, such as pit gathering water that attracts wild animals. Similarly, a TSF still containing known minerals would attract illegal miners, who could put themselves at risk and perhaps endanger the structure. Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management This illegal mining is also a risk that needs attention in terms of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). Based on her work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), SRK Consulting South Africa (SA) principal environmental engineer Roanne Sutcliffe explained some of the risks associated with managing TSFs after mine closure. 'In one site, it was clear that artisanal miners were walking over a tailings dam each day to reach discards which were still considered to have some mineral value,' says Sutcliffe. 'They would then wash the ore in the supernatant pond on the TSF; this sort of activity could have health and safety implications and could impact the stability of the TSF.' In another case, there was evidence of artisanal mining on a mineral seam which was not only adjacent to a TSF but which also ran under the TSF's foundation. Post-closure activity close to a tailings dam was itself a potential risk, while any mining underneath the structure would compromise its stability and pose life-threatening risks. 'The GISTM highlights that mitigating TSF risks is a responsibility that extends for tens or even hundreds of years after mines cease operations,' she says. 'This means finding sustainable solutions and post-closure uses that address the considerable risks posed by ongoing artisanal mining.'
