Bodoland Territorial Council Polls: Assam BJP releases Manifesto; pledges to implement BTR Accord

GUWAHATI:

Assam BJP on Friday released its election manifesto for the two-phase Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls next month, pledging to implement the BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region) Accord signed earlier this year, “in letter and spirit.”

The manifesto, which has 50 key issues of the BTC region, also emphasises on land patta to people who have settled in government land with the permission process for buying and selling of land to be completed in one month.

Speaking to newsmen, Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Seats in BTC would be increased from 40 to 60 if the BJP came to power in the council. The additional 20 seats will have representation from all communities. Besides, in accordance with the clauses of the BTR Accord, villages which prefer to be excluded from BTR can go out, while those in the fringe areas can be a part of BTC.”

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The manifesto also promises equal importance to Bodo and Assamese languages in BTC and that the development of both the languages would be taken forward simultaneously along with other languages of communities.

“The cases of political killings in BTAD so far would be fast-tracked and taken to their logical conclusion,” he added.

The minister further stated that the manifesto also emphasised on the permanent appointment to the youths. “Ten per cent posts would be reserved for economically weaker sections,” Sarma said.

The BJP manifesto also says that colleges would be set up in every sub-division.

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The manifesto also said that the Village Council Development Committees (VCDC) in BTC would be eliminated, and in their place, a three-tier-decentralised panchayat system introduced.

“People of BTC will also benefit from government schemes such as Arunodoi, Arundhati, old age and widow pension schemes once the BJP comes into power,” the minister said.

Sarma further said one campus of Bodo University in Udalguri, one medical college in Tamulpur, 30-bed hospitals in each of the 40 seats besides 40 stadiums would be set up in BTC.

(Edited by Ladiangti Rani)

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