West Bengal appoints the first woman graduate Toto as social worker

Rita Toto

PTI, May 27, 2013, KOLKATA: West Bengal government today offered a job to Rita Toto, the first woman graduate among the near extinct Toto tribal community of the state.

"The decision has been taken at the state cabinet meeting to encourage the Toto community state industry minister Partha Chatterjee said while briefing reporters about the meeting. 

"The first Toto woman graduate Rita Toto will be appointed as social welfare officer under backward class welfare department," Chatterjee said. 

Rita graduated in humanities from a college in Jalpaiguri district in 2010. 

The Totos, whose population is around 1,200, live in a single hamlet, Totopara, in Jalpaiguri district. 

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee recently said her government was keen on preparing a special plan for the protection of the Toto community, which is on the verge of extinction. 

To ensure more importance to the tribal in the state, Banerjee also announced a separate department of tribal affairs which would remain with her. 

The state, however, also has a backward classes welfare department under Upen Biswas, a former CBI additional director.

TH, KOLKATA, May 28, 2013: The West Bengal government announced here on Monday the appointment of the first woman graduate from the endangered Toto community in north Bengal as a social worker in the Backward Classes Welfare Department.

“The State government has decided to appoint Rita Toto. It is a historical decision because it will help Ms. Toto to provide services to her own community,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee told journalists after a Cabinet meeting.

“It is the most important decision taken at the 50 meeting of the Cabinet of the Trinamool Congress government. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken the initiative in this regard,” he added.

Last week, Ms. Banerjee announced establishing a separate department for tribals in north Bengal that will look into the interests of endangered communities in the region like the Totos, Labhas and Boros.

There are only 1,346 persons in the Toto community that is near extinction she said on May 21, adding that her government has started providing free food grains to members of the community. Mr. Chatterjee said the job will encourage the entire community.

Ms. Toto completed her graduation in the humanities stream from Prasanna Deb Women’s College under North Bengal University in Jalpaiguri district in 2010.  The 25-year-old is the daughter of a group D employee in a local bank. Totos, one of the primitive tribes of India, live in Totopara, a village along the Indo-Bhutan border under the Madarihat block of Jalpaiguri district.