HT Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, Dec 28: The Bodoland Territorial Council Legislative Assembly concluded its one-day Winter Session at the BTC Legislative Assembly House, Bodofa Nwgwr, in Kokrajhar on Thursday. Chaired by Katiram Boro, the speaker of the BTC Legislative Assembly, the house unanimously passed resolutions for the Green Bodoland Mission and a Child-Friendly & Child Labour-Free Bodoland. Pramod Boro, the chief executive member of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), moved both resolutions, stressing the importance of ensuring environmentally sustainable development aligned with global best practices.
Over the past three years, the government of BTR has been actively working on various child-friendly policies, addressing the needs and rights of children in the region. The Winter Session discussed several crucial decisions, notably the provincialisation of services for 259 teaching and non-teaching staff across 10 venture degree colleges in Bodoland Territorial Region. This action, outlined in order No. BTC/EDN-01/2022-23/Pt.I/39, dated December 16, 2023, is a partial fulfillment of the Bodo Peace Accord 2020 (Clause No. 6.3).
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Collaborative efforts involving CEM Pramod Boro, executive members, signatory organisations such as ABSU, UBPO, former leaders of the NDFB, and BTR Government Department of Education played a pivotal role in realising the need for this decision. The colleges benefiting from this move include Tamulpur College, Dimakuchi College, Udalguri Mushalpur College, Baksa Tamulpur Degree College, Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma College, Borobazar College, Bhergaon College, Zamduar College, Koklabari Chapaguri College, and Runikhata College. A total of 79 assistant professors, 65 tutors, 108 administration staff, and 7 office staff as tutors will be provincialised along with these colleges.
Addressing administrative challenges, the session discussed the withdrawal of an order (No. BTC/IBA-679/2020/244) that had entrusted the overall monitoring and supervision of projects under 16 different subjects and matters to deputy commissioners of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Udalguri. This move, initiated on June 4, 2021, aimed to streamline the proper and timely implementation of various government schemes. However, given the success of the BTR government in achieving good governance and effective service delivery, the order has been withdrawn.
Deputy commissioners of the BTR districts are now mandated to report to the Government of BTR, as per the Bodo Peace Accord 2020 (Clause No. 4.6), which states that deputy commissioners in BTAD will report to the chief executive member of BTC through the chief executive officer regarding all developmental activities in their districts.
Additionally, the house was informed about upcoming advertisements to fill 1216 posts of elementary teachers, addressing the shortfall of teachers in government/provincialised elementary schools across the region. During the session, two landmark resolutions were moved by CEM Pramod Boro and adopted unanimously. The resolutions are part of the Green Bodoland Mission, aiming to reclaim the climate for a resilient and sustainable future in BTR.
The Green Bodoland Mission includes mass-scale tree plantation in 2000 hectares of BTR, totaling approximately one crore plants over two years. It also focuses on plastic pollution reduction, advocating for the ban of single-use plastics, and sustainable groundwater management for a resilient future. Two percent of the SOPD budget for 2023-24 has been allocated to the Green Bodoland Mission.
The legislative assembly paid tribute to notable figures who recently passed away, including former minister Sarat Borkataki, former MP Bhadreswar Tanti, former MLA of Jania Aasahaque Ali, and actor Jayanta Das. Speaker Katiram Boro led a one-minute silence in their memory.
CEM Pramod Boro said that the house deeply discussed overall development and citizen welfare. The BTR government remains committed to working for massive ushering of sustainable development, emphasising good governance and welfare services for citizens. Various development and welfare schemes have been initiated across the region, highlighting the government’s dedication to the well-being of its citizens.
