Mohilary tables Rs 2,400 cr budget, opposition slams State government

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, March 21: Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary on Wednesday tabled the budget of the council worth Rs. 2,429.87 crore with surplus of Rs. 13.60 crore for the year 2018-19 on the first day of the budget session. The opposition parties said there was nothing new in the budget. The opposition bench slammed the State Government saying that the budget of BTC should have been held ahead of the State budget to include fincial requirement.

Talking to reporters, the chief of BTC, Hagrama Mohilary said he had tabled the budget of 2018-19 amounting to Rs. 2,429.87 crore in the house. He said this year his council would put maximum priority in PWD to improve connectivity in the region, followed by education, health and irrigation departments. He also said the council would bring more development in every sector with the council budget and special assistance from the Centre.

Mohilary said there were certain shortcomings in preparing schemes, allotment of work and expenditure in every department and to sort these out, he would hold discussion with various departments district-wise, taking the opposition members into confidence. He said to solve the problems of different communities, guardians’ meet would be started from the first week of April. He also said that discussion would be held in every district and subdivision of BTC.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition, Rwngwra rzary, while talking to media persons, said the BTC budget did not include many new schemes and proposals. He slammed the State Government for releasing idequate fund to the council for sustaible development.

“The BTC received Rs. 610 crore only from the State Government’s share this fincial year, which is far below the 10 per cent ratio,” he said, adding that as per population pattern, the council should get Rs. 3000 crore from the State Government per year but instead of this, the government just sanctioned an amount of Rs. 610 crore. He also said the council was to receive an amount of Rs. 18,000 crore after new council was formed in 2015, had the Government of Assam released Rs. 3,000 crore annually for 32 lakh population of the council as per population pattern.

rzary said the Governor should have summoned the BTC budget session well ahead of the State budget session so that the requirement and other shortcomings of the council could be considered by the State cabinet. He said BTC could send budget proposal to the State cabinet for approval but it was meaningless if the budget session of the council was held after the end of the State budget session.