HT Bureau
DIPHU, July 24: Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Tuliram Ronghang, led a high-level delegation to New Delhi to press for key development and educational demands concerning the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong.
The CEM, accompanied by several MPs and MLAs, submitted multiple memoranda to Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Nitin Gadkari, and Jyotiraditya Scindia during a series of meetings held Thursday.
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According to an official statement, CEM Ronghang urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to upgrade the Diphu Campus of Assam University into a full-fledged Central Tribal University.
The proposal, he said, is a core component of Item 16 of Annexure II of the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed on September 4, 2021, with six armed organisations.
“While the Ministry has earlier stated that a third Central University for Assam may not be considered, I humbly reiterated that the MoS is a solemn political commitment, and its provisions must be honoured in full spirit,” the CEM posted on social media, referring also to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s public assurance during the MoS signing ceremony.
The proposed university aims to focus on the higher educational needs of tribal communities in Assam and the Northeast.
The KAAC team demanded up to 65% seat reservation for tribal students, affiliation options for tribal colleges in Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao, and multi-campus expansion across other tribal-dominated areas.
Ronghang added that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has extended full support to the proposal and expressed confidence that the central government would act promptly to fulfil this long-standing aspiration.
“The establishment of this Tribal University will be a transformative step for educational upliftment and social empowerment of the hill tribes of Assam,” the official statement quoted the CEM as saying.
On the infrastructure front, CEM Ronghang met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to push for early tendering of the proposed National Highway-627.
He specifically requested expediting the Dharamtul–Panimur (122 km) and Panimur–Harangajao (122 km) stretches, stating that work could begin post-monsoon.
In another meeting with Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ronghang invited the minister to attend the upcoming 52nd Karbi Youth Festival as Chief Guest.
He also submitted a memorandum highlighting the developmental limitations faced by Sixth Schedule areas due to Article 243M of the Constitution and urged for reforms under the ongoing 125th Constitutional Amendment process.
As an immediate measure, Ronghang requested a Special Economic Package of ₹200 crore for Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong to support growth in tourism, horticulture, and local manufacturing.
The delegation included BJP Assam Pradesh President and MP Dilip Saikia, MPs Amarsing Tisso and Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MLAs Darsing Ronghang, Rupsing Teron, and Bidya Sing Engleng, KAAC Executive Member Surjyo Rongphar, MAC Dr. Mongve Rongpi, and former MP and CEM adviser Jayanta Rongpi.
