KOKRAJHAR: BTC Legislative Assembly passes Rs 73.90 crore supplementary budget

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: A special session of the BTC Legislative Assembly was held on Wednesday, during which the supplementary budget of Rs. 73.90 crore was passed. The budget included the additional funds required for the payment of arrear fixed pay to employees appointed under the Central Selection Board (CSB) for five entrusted line departments.

During the session, the historic BTC Education (Provincialization of Services and Reorganization of Educational Institutions) Bill, 2025, was passed after detailed discussions. Representatives from the opposition bench welcomed the bill with minor modifications. The legislation aims to provincialize the services of teachers and non-teaching staff in venture educational institutions and to reorganize and streamline educational institutions up to the degree level within the Bodoland Territorial Council. The bill ensures compliance with prevailing statutory norms and standards, including the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. It also seeks to restrict the further growth of such venture educational institutions in the BTC and aligns with the objectives of the Memorandum of Settlement of the MoS of BTC, signed between the Government of India, Government of Assam, and the then BLT, to uplift and promote the quality of education, which had lagged prior to constitutional amendments, while taking into account the population pattern in the region.

Rabiram Narzary, Education EM of BTC, informed the House that the number of teaching and non-teaching staff for provincialization under BTC includes 1,659 in LP schools, 1,705 in ME schools, 1,100 in high schools, 391 in higher secondary and senior secondary schools, and 226 in colleges, totaling 5,166 employees. He added that BTC would require Rs. 205.33 crore annually to cover the salary component.

Former Chief of BTR and current MCLA Pramod Boro from the opposition bench described the bill as a landmark achievement. He noted that decades of struggle for the provincialization of venture schools in the BTC area are now being resolved. He expressed gratitude to BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary and Education EM Rabiram Narzary for bringing the bill forward and stated that the opposition bench would extend its support and appreciation to the governments of Assam and BTC for addressing this long-pending and crucial issue.

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