Memorandum of Settlement on Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) signed on 10th February 2003 may be read at the link below:
Bodoland
at a Glance
Bodoland is the gateway to the beautiful North
Eastern Region of India, which was created very recently by curving out some
area of eight districts of Assam
namely Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darang and Sonitpur
within the state of Assam. It is an autonomous Administrative unit constituted
under the Sixth Schedule of the
Constitution of India covering an area of 8795
Sq. Km (Provisional).
The administrative unit has been created with a
mission to accomplish development in the area of economic, education, preservation of land right, linguistic aspiration,
Socio-culture and ethnic identity of Bodos and above all to speed up the infrastructure development of
communities in the BTC area. The actual functioning of council was started
on 7th December 2003 by constituting
the 12 members of the Council
provisionally. After the Council Election on 13th May/05 and subsequent bye
election in November/2005 all the 40
Members of Legislative Council has been formed to look after the
development works in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts. The remaining 6 (Six) Members are nominated by the
Governor of Assam from the unrepresented Communities. Thus altogether 46 M.C.L.As represent in the Council
from all communities of BTC Area for area development. As per Memorandum of Settlement in the
tripartite talks in the year 2003, 40
(Fourty) subjects have been entrusted to the BTC Authority for all round
development of the people in this area. Subjects namely (i) Tribal Research
Institute, (ii) Lotteries and Theatres etc., (iii) Intoxicating liquors etc.,
(iv) Registration of Birth and Death yet to be taken up by the council. The
entire area covered under the BTC has been recognized with Kokrjhar as original district and forming other new district thus
totaling 4 (four) districts in BTC Area.
The area under those four districts has been estimated as follows:
Sl
No Name
of the
District Area
in Sq. Km.
1
Kokrajhar
3169.2
2
Chirang
1069.96
3
Baska
3056.89
4
Udalguri
1673.93
* Provisional Report.
Location:
The geographical
boundary of BTC lies between 260 7'12'' N to 260 47' 50'' N Latitude and 890
47' 40'' E to 920 18' 30'' E Longitude and is in the North Western part of
Assam. Kokrajhar town the Administrative Head Quarter lies roughly between 260
25' N Longitude and 990 16' 38'' E Latitude.
Its strategic location is blessed
with beautiful forests with of flora and fauna.
Population:
The population of BTC area as
per 2001 Census report is 29.2 Lakhs
out which the ST population is around
52% of which only 3% of the total population of live in urban area. The
average density of the population in BTC is 326 Sq. K.m. compared to 340 per
Sq. K.m. of Assam. Amongst the Tribal population Bodos, Rabhas and less
quantity of Garos inhabit in this area out which Bodos will be 90%. The other
communities like Ransbanhis, Sarania which are also originated from Bodo group inhabit
in large part of BTC. Besides Tea and Other Ex-Tea tribes including Santhal,
Orao etc. are also available. Moreover, other general communities like Bengali,
Assamese, Nepali and few numbers of Hindi speaking people are also found in the
Council area.
Administrative
Boundary:
The Bodoland
Territotial Council or BTC has been divided into four districts for
administrative purpose. It has been further subdivided into 10 Civil Subdivisions and 40 Development
Blocks, some of which are partly in BTC area and partly outside. The
provisional geographical area of BTC is 8795 Sq. Km.
Plan and
Programme
COMMITTED
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ROAD
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FLOOD CONTROL
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IRRIGATION
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AGRICULTURE
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PUBLIC HEALTH
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HEALTH & FAMILY
WELFARE
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INDUSTRY
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EDUCATION
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CULTURE
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Features of Memorandum of Settlement (MoS)
The Memorandum of Settlement aims at fulfilling
the economic, educational and linguistic
aspirations of the Bodos, preservation
of land rights, socio-cultural and ethnic identity of the Bodos and to
speed up the infrastructure development
in the areas under the BTC.
In pursuance of MoS, an autonomous district known as the Bodoland Territorial Areas Disrict (BTAD) has been constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Its jurisdiction extends over 8,970 sq. kms covering the four district of Kokrajhar, Udalguri, Baska and Chirang.
The Bodoland Territorial Council will have legislative, administrative, executive and
financial powers over 40 subjects. A major thrust has been given to the
economic development of Bodoland to take forward the Central Government's
agenda for peace and development in
the region.
Government of India is committed to provide
additional assistance of Rs 500 crore
over a period of five years, i.e. Rs 100 crore per annum, for developmental
projects. One-time financial assistance to the BTAD is an envisaged for
creation of infrastructure for the BTC
secretariat and at the district, sub-division and block levels.
The centrally funded Central INSTITUTE OF
technology, which was inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister on 7th December,
will provide diploma sources in the information technology, bio-technology,
horticulture and food processing, computer programming and business management,
enabling the development of better technical
skills in the region. This is expected to help generate employment opportunities among the youth of BTAD in
particular and Assam, in general. The Institute will function from 2004.
The government is also committed to the
inclusion of the Bodo language in the
Eighth Schedule. The bill
in the regard has already been introduced
in the parliament.
The Government is equally committed to the empowerment of
the Bodos as also the protection of the existing rights including land rights
and privileges of the non-tribals in the BTAD. An amendment has already been
carried out to article 332(6) of the Constitution to provide that the
existing representation of scheduled tribes and non-scheduled tribes from the
Bodoland territory in the state assembly will be maintained. Bodo leaders have
also given assurance that the BTC will work and govern without bias or discrimination.
**[Article 332(6) in The Constitution Of India 1949 (6) No person who is not a member of a Scheduled Tribe
of any autonomous district of the State of Assam shall be eligible for election
to the Legislative Assembly of the State from any constituency of that
district]
The rehabilitation
of surrendered BLT cadres is also being given high priority by the
Government of India and the stage government. Eligible Bodo youth may be recruited into the police, army and
paramilitary forces. They will also be provided with technical training
through institutions like CIT to facilitate self-employment.
A
Farewell to Arms
On December
7, 2003, amid tumult, excitement and delight, a large gathering watched history
being made at Kokrajhar. On that crisp winter morning, as Bodo musicians played
the flute and dhol and brightly as attired young women swayed to the rhythm of
traditional dances, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani watched the swearing in
of the interim Executive Council of the Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam.
Sri Advani has especially flown in for the
occasion after Bodo Liberation Tiger
(BLT) leaders bid a farewell to arms and cemented a negotiated settlement
with the Government of India by committing themselves to a democratic way of
life. Sri Advani called on other militant groups especially the United
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and
the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)
to follow the example ste by the BLT, which had renounced violence and embraced
peace with justice and development through a democratic process. The meeting
was attended by Dr. C. P. Thakur, Minister, DoNER, Sri Tarun Gogoi, Chief
Minister of Assam and Governor of Assam, LT. Gen (Rtd) Ajai Singh.
The Previous day, December 6, 2003 had witnessed
another significant event when more than 2600 BLT militants bid farewell to arms and surrendered their
weapons at a public function at Kokrajhar. The militants shed their
camouflage uniforms and laid down their AK-47 rifles as they left the path of
confrontation and violence, from an uncertain life in the jungles to a return
home, where they can take up productive work without fear or favour. The
Governor and Chief Minister of Assam as well as Sri Swami Chinmayanand, Minister
of State for Home were present.
During his visit, the Deputy Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of a Central Institute of Technology (CIT) and emphasized the need to tackle the huge infrastructure needs in the area. Addressing the rally, Sri Advani assured the Bodos that the Centre was committed to the economic development of their areas as well as the entire North East, which lags behind other regions. In a step aimed at bridging infrastructure gaps, he announced the setting up of a 100 bedded hospital and nursing college for the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District (BTAD).
The Bodo
Liberation tigers, formed on June 18, 1996 - had earlier pledged to fight for a separate state out of Assam, but within the Indian Union,
through an armed struggle. The demand
for a separate state for Bodos was launched for the first time in 1986 by the
All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) which culminated in the Bodo accord in 1993,
after much social unrest, violence and disruption. The 1993 accord led to the creation of the Bodoland Autonomous Council
(BAC). However, BAC failed to fully meet the aspirations of Bodos and ABSU
again launched an agitation denouncing the accord and demanding creation of a
separate state. The BLT also indulged in a few acts of violence during this
period. But these difficulties did not deter the National Democratic Alliance
government at the Centre from making fresh efforts to settle the Bodo issue.
The Government of India kept all its channels of informal talks open with
the BLT.
After years of struggle, the BLT unilaterally decided to suspend its
armed operations on July 14, 1999 and agreed to negotiate with the
Government of India. This is an example to other underground groups in the
region. Those seeking to improve the lives of their people through armed
struggles should realize that this path cannot succeed. The conditions of people
can be best improved in times of peace, leading to stability and development.
The BLT
gave up its demand for a separate state and settled for the extension of the
Sixth Schedule Status to the Bodo areas, which empowers them with rights
over land, ensures protection of their traditions and ethnic identity and also
enables them to govern themselves. The BTAD is an outcome of a growing understanding that political goals must be
realistic and that peace and development must take precedence over emotions.
With their practical approach to a complex
problem, the Bodos have shown the way forward to other militant groups in the
North East, which are directionless and disruptive. But the road to the
settlement was challenging and long. Representatives of the Government of
India, Government of Assam and BLT held not
less than 30 rounds of tripartite talks between March 2000 and February 2003
before finalizing an accord. The commitment from the Home Ministry was simple
and clear: ensure the territorial integrity of the country and at the same time
bring peace and development to a neglected region.
The Memorandum
of Settlement signed between the Government of India, the Government of Assam
and the BLT on February 10, 2003, was a path-breaking event, which seeks to
assure all ethnic groups of development, equality, security and growth with
stability. All major Bodo organizations
including ABSU, Bodo Sahitya Sabha and All Bodo Women Welfare Federation
extended their whole hearted support to the accord with the BLT.
Perhaps not since 1986, when the Mizo Accord was signed between the Government
of India and the Mizo National Front, has the troubled North East witnessed
such a potential turning point. The Mizoram accord brought peace to Mizoram
after decades of conflict and it remains one of the most peaceful states of the
country.
The latest Bodo accord brings the promise of a
lasting peace in the Bodo areas and to a larger extent across the Assam Valley.
Its impact in other states should also not be ruled out for a major group has
shown that power flows from political
wisdom and realism, not just from the barrel of a gun or through angry rhetoric.
~ Some spelling mistakes and
grammatical errors corrected by Lian Suantak on 08/6/2017
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