BTR elections to be held by the end of Dec 2020, decides Assam Cabinet

Guwahati: The elections in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) which have been deferred due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, shall now be held in the month of December. This important decision was taken by the Assam Cabinet in a meeting chaired on Wednesday by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the administrative staff college in Khanapara, Guwahati.

On Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired an all-party meeting at Assam Administrative Staff College to discuss the issue of the BTC election and the current scenario in the region.

Principal secretary to the health department, Samir Kumar Sinha, gave a detailed presentation regarding the COVID19 scenario in the state in the meeting.

Apart from the decision to conduct the polls by the month of December, several other important decisions were also taken by the members of the Assam Cabinet.

Here are the rest of the key highlights of today's crucial meeting:

The Cabinet today also decided that Bodo will be the associate official language for the state of Assam.

It was also decided that a Bodo Kachari Autonomous Welfare Council will be constituted outside the sixth schedule area.

Moreover, the conduct of public services' recruitment examinations will no longer be outsourced to private organizations.

Additionally, 5 public universities will conduct the recruitment examinations, or, the respective department of the state government will hold the exams.

Cabinet status will be given to the advocate general.

In another significant move, the Cabinet decided that the Assamese language qualification paper will not be mandatory for candidates from Barak Valley appearing for APSC examinations. The candidates can appear in Assamese, Bangla, or Bodo languages.

The Cabinet also decided to increase the number of female members of APSC to more than one.

All signboards in the BTAD region need to be in the Assamese language, the Cabinet said.

The minimum number of members in all development councils will be 25 and the maximum can go up to 45.

The salary of gaon buras will be increased from rupees 6800 to 9000.

There will two forest offices and four forest beat offices will come up in Majuli.

Students of as many as 428 tea gardens will be provided with free breakfast, lunch, and uniforms.

Moreover, the deposit of the garden tea plantation fund scheme has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

The Cabinet also decided that 23 bighas plot in Amingaon will be given to National Fishery Development.

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