STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Aug 7: Assam’s Tourism, WPT and BC department Minister Chandan Brahma called on the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi on Tuesday and requested Oram to consent to a tribal university at Chirang in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).
Stating that Assam stands at 3.9 million schedule tribe population constituting 15.64% of the total population of the state, Brahma said to the Union Minister, “The State has been looking forward to have a long awaited tribal university at Chirang for imparting holistic quality education to the tribal students of Assam.” He further appraised the Union Minister saying that the primary, secondary and college education for tribal has almost been fortified. “Needless to impress that a tribal university will help in improving the percentage of tribal students accessing higher studies,” he added.
During the discussion, Brahma further highlighted the frustration among the Bodo people residing in Karbi Anglong district. In this regard, Brahma said, “It is a matter of great concern that in spite of crystalline mandate, the Bodo people residing in Karbi Anglong district of Assam is yet to be declared ST (H).”
In the meantime, Brahma also highlighted the discouraging trend of the matter pertaining to release of fund against SCA to TSS. He said, “Only Rs 219.881 crore has so far been released against total allocation of Rs 465.1213 crore during 2013-14 to 2017-18 financial years, thereby causing a huge deficit of fund release.” At the same time, Brahma also requested the Union Minister to take necessary action for sanctioning of Rs 153.8537 crore for Post-Matric scholarship.