Agartala, July 25 - The Left Front government in Tripura has launched a special employment guarantee scheme for the urban poor, modelled on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).

The Tripura Urban Employment Programme (TUEP) -- said to be the first of its kind in India -- was launched by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar here late Friday.

'The TUEP would provide 50 days' guaranteed employment in a year to about 52,000 poor families living in 16 urban civic agency areas, including the Agartala Municipal Council,' state Urban Development Minister Manik Dey told IANS.

He said it would cost Rs.300 million to implement the new scheme and each worker would be paid a wage of Rs.100 per day.

TUEP workers would be engaged in eight sectors -- collection and disposal of garbage and cleaning of roads; plantation; flood protection measures; maintenance and beautification of parks, playgrounds, water areas; community services; water body creation and maintenance; construction of small roads and cleaning of market places.