Assam government formed Commission to examine fringe villages in BTR

GUWAHATI: The State government has formed a four-member commission headed by former Chief Secretary PP Verma to sort out matters like inclusion and exclusion of border villages in the BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region).

The other three members of the Commission are BTC Chief Administrator Rajesh Prasad, Jayanta Basumatary from the ABSU (All Bodo Students' Union) and Dalim Bayan from non-Bodo organizations.

Addressing the media on Friday, State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "With the issuance of the relevant notification by the Governor, the term 'BTR' has replaced the term 'BTAD'. The term of the Commission is six months. The Commission will examine and suggest the government as to which border villages with over 50 per cent Bodo population can be included into the BTR and which ones with less than 50 per cent Bodo population can be excluded from it. The Bodo villages lying outside the BTR will be included in the proposed Bodoland Autonomous Development Council.

"The Commission will also reconstruct the BTR constituencies, raising them from the current 40 to 60. This exercise will be done by taking representations and suggestions from the public and public organizations."

On the proposed BTAD election, the Minister said, "The election can't be held before November 30, 2020. We'll have to study the Bihar poll. After that we'll draw our plan for holding the BTAD poll."

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