GUWAHATI, May 25 � Governor JB Patnaik who initiated the process of introducing the Panchayati Raj System in the 6th Schedule districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, called a review meeting at Raj Bhavan.
It was decided that Panchayati Raj Bills of the two districts should be completed in all respects in a time-bound manner so that the Panchayati Raj System could be introduced at the earliest in these areas, an official release stated.
The Governor observed that the district councils were losing a lot of funds which the Centre provides to all other parts of the country. As a result of this, the 6th Schedule districts of Assam suffer from lack of funds for development of the rural areas at the grassroots levels, fuelling a lot of discontent among the people for lack of proper representation in the development of their areas.
As regards the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts under the Bodoland Territorial Council, the process is already being initiated and a meeting will be called soon to review the matter.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of the 6th Schedule districts of the Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao District Councils and the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister; the Principal Secretary, P and RD, Assam; the Commissioner & Secretary to the Governor; the Divisional Commissioner, Hills and Barak Valley; Commissioner & Secretary, Hills Areas Dept.; Principal Secretary, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council; Principal Secretary, NC Hills District Autonomous Council, and other officials.
