Ruling council government terms Bodoland Territorial Council budget ‘inclusive’

KOKRAJHAR: The normal budget of BTC to the tune of Rs. 2004.62 crore for the year 2024-25 has been approved and passed in today’s budget session. The Chief of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Pramod Boro presented the normal budget outlay of Rs. 2004.62 crore with expected Rs. 80.16 crore deficit for the financial year, 2024-25 on Tuesday.

The members of the ruling council government termed the budget as ‘inclusive and people’s budget’ but the opposition bench said they were not satisfied on certain segments. In his speech the leader of opposition Derhasat Basumatary said they were not satisfied because the budget reflected only 3 crore enhancement under the state’s share-SOPD budget. He said the council received Rs. 800 crores from SOPD in the financial year 2023-24 enhancing mere Rs. 3 crores and i. e. Rs. 803 crores in 2024-25 for over 35 crores population of BTC. He said the revenue and capital expenditure had no consistent and huge amount of money would be spent in revenue expenditure, indicating that the infrastructure development would not significantly be visible. He also said only six projects under Rs. 250 special packages of BTR accord had been approved but other projects assured in the MoS of the accord are still in the primary stage which are still in concept papers and preparation of DPRs. He also said the projects under BTR accord’s special package of Rs. 250 crores should have been given priority but the systematic delay is a matter of concern and shows how far the government is giving sincere attention towards the implementation of clauses and promises of BTR accord. He further reiterated that the amount of special packages was also shown in the BTC budget. If the government is not interested in implementing the projects under accord’s special package, then one cannot expect the implementation of projects under central and state sponsored schemes and other flagship programmes, he said adding that it was unfortunate to hear the projects of BTR accord are still in concept papers.

Basumatary alleged that the implementation of Orunodoi schemes for women were being politicized in BTC and the constructions of most of the PMAY houses to poor families remained half done but despite this fact the ruling government is just harnessing maximum credits in black and white but in practical field it is totally different. He also said the government had been looking for maximum highlights but in ground reality the picture of development is not visible.

On the issue of allotment of land to Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) for setting up an oil reservoir in Khagrabari area of Chirang district, Basumatary said 350 bighas of revenue land belong to 42 families of the locality who are going to lose their lands to the HPCL for the purpose of setting up an oil industry. He drew the attention of the ruling representatives to ensure 100 pc job reservation to the land affected families who have permanently lost their revenue lands. He further said the 1 pc and 2 pc contributions of SOPD funds for women empowerment and child welfare, differently disabled persons and Green Bodoland Mission should have been made from their respective departments-Women and Child Development, Social Welfare and Forest departments and no such separate contributions from the SOPD was required.

Doneswar Goyary from BPF said most of the streetlights were in a useless state and citizens had to walk through the darkness in the evening. He said since the citizens have to pay taxes, the street lights should be revamped and told the house that there are many areas that fall under BTC in border districts with Assam and these areas should be brought to respective development blocks so that the development reaches them. He also said it would have been better if the amount of “Dr. Basiram Jwhwlao” award for doctorate holders is mentioned as during the previous government, Rs. 1 lakh was given to each PhD pursuance.

Meanwhile, the CEM of BTC Pramod Boro in his speech said the people of the region witnessed constant violence, clashes, killings and communal hatred in the past but peace has returned now at the initiatives of the present government which held discussions with all student organizations and leaders of communities and it is one of the greatest achievements of the present government which should be prevailed permanently for the greater interest of the communities and development.

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