Rs 250-crore supplementary demands approved in Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) winter session

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: Bodoland Territorial Council Legislative Assembly has approved the Rs 250-crore supplementary demand in the winter budget session of BTC on Wednesday. BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary tabled the supplementary demand of Rs 250 crore along with Rs 13.95 crore from own resources on the first day of the session in December.

The department-wise allocation of the budget was approved without any debate. The additional demand of Rs 250 crore from SOPD fund will cover for next three months till financial year end. Chief Mohilary said that they would receive higher amounts than normal from the SOPD fund in comparison to what the Pramod Boro-led government received. He also said that some of the projects of the previous council government under SOPD would remain for execution but some of them would be cancelled.

Talking to mediapersons, EM Rabiram Narzary who is holding the charge of Education, said that the schools of BTC would be streamlined on the basis of teachers and students ration as per norms of the state Education Department. He said that the schools with excess teachers would be scrutinized and the excess teachers transferred to the schools which have shortage of teachers. For comprehensive development in 39 departments of the council, the Government of BTC has chalked out strategy in connivance with the State Government, he said, adding that many schools and colleges of BTC had not been provincialized and therefore, the council would bring new acts to solve the problems of Education Department. Narzary also said that the BTC would make separate bills for provincialization of schools and colleges of the council. For financial burden, there will be discussions with the State Government for special funding while discussions will also be done with the ABSU, teachers association, and the BSS, he added.

Narzary said that the BTC had also taken steps to complete the amalgamation process. He said that there had been 984 vacant posts in LP and UP schools of BTC which had already got SIO from Assam. He also said that for the 982 vacant posts in high school and requirement of 901 graduate teachers, necessary action was being taken for appointment on merit basis.

Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons, UPPL MCLA Kampa Borgoyari said that there had been a series of agitations by the students against the inclusion of six communities in the ST list to safeguard the interest of existing tribal communities. He said that there had been no stiff opposition on the move of the State Government from political parties in BTC but that there were apprehensions among the students of existing tribals of their rights and facilities being adversely affected after the inclusion of six populous and advanced communities. The parties and organizations of the region maintain that the rights and privileges of the existing tribals must not be affected in the modality of GoM report, he said, adding that there could not be ST category of 'A' and 'B' or tribal 'P' and 'V' in India and therefore, the Government of Assam should seriously discuss on it with tribal stakeholders. He also said that the Government of India should protect the reservation quotas of the existing tribals in the education, job, political, social, economic, and other sectors.

Borgoyari said, "The tribals have rejected the report of GoM. We don't encourage blame games but will look forward to comprehensive and acceptable policy ensuring existing facilities of the tribals." He said there had been no instigation of the UPPL, the ABSU, or others and that the agitation of students against the ST status to six communities was going on spontaneously across Assam. He added that the Kokrajhar incident was just an instance of sentiment and emotions of the irate students.

Also Read: Ajay Kumar Hazarika nominated as Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Executive Member