GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI: Soon after signing of the Bodo Peace Treaty between Government of India, Assam government and various Bodo groups, Assam health, finance and education minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a list of packages for political, social and economic development of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
Key points from Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s statement:
- This agreement has been signed re-affirming territorial integrity of Assam.
- A commission will be constituted to examine to include villages which are not part of BTAD now. But they are contiguous to BTAD and substantial number of Bodo people live there. A commission will be appointed by the state government which will recommend inclusion of new villages that are substantially dominated by tribal people.
- Villages which are not substantially populated by the tribal people will be excluded from BTC.
- Total number of seats in BTC will be increased to 60 from current 40.
- Bodoland Territorial Area will be renamed as Bodoland Territorial Region.
- BTC will be given more legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers.
- Deputy commissioners and superintendents of police in all BTR districts will be appointed in consultation with BTC authority.
- The Government of India will expedite conferring of hills tribe status to the Bodo people living in the hills districts of Assam.
- Bodo will be official associate language for the state of Assam.
- New subjects like rural electrification, non-conventional energy, welfare and development of minority, animal husbandry have been given to BTC.
- A Central University will be set up at Boroma under Baksa district in the memory of Upendranath Brahma.
- A national sports university will be established in BTR.
- Sports Authority of India centres will be set-up in Udalguri, Baksa and Chirang.
- Institute of Livelihood Management, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Hotel Management institute, a campus of Indira Gandhi Tribal University will be established in Bodoland Territorial Region.
- Bodoland Movement Memorial Museum will be established.
- A National Institute of Technology in Udalguri and additional Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas will be set-up.
- State government will set-up a Bodoland Institute of Rural Development, polytechnic, vocational training institutes. Organic University at Rowta, Veterinery College at Kumarikata, Institute of Paramedical and Nursing will come into being.
- State Government will provincialise Music and Fine Arts College at Kokrajhar.
- Birsa Munda Cultural Centre, Swami Vivekananda Youth Centre, Bhupen Hazarika Multipurpose Cultural Auditorium at Kokrajhar, Gorkha Bhawan at Chirang, Kherasai Centre for Bodo Arts and Culture with Tribal Art Gallery and Bathow Hamphuri at Kumarikata will be set-up.
