GUWAHATI, March 6 - The State Budget for 2020-21, presented today in the Legislative Assembly by Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, made a number of major announcements covering a number of subjects, including the Bodo Accord, creation of Autonomous Councils for the Koch Rajbongshi, Moran and Mattak communities, special packages for some indigenous communities, besides promotion of Assamese language and making annual patta land transferable, among other things.
Bodo Accord and provision for the community: In his Budget speech, Sarma said that the memorandum of settlement signed on January 27 among all factions of the NDFB, ABSU, UBPO, Government of India and Government of Assam is expected to bring permanent peace to the region and end militancy.
The Budget proposes to immediately convert the Kokrajhar Music & Fine Arts College into a government college.
The Budget also proposed to establish a Bodo Kachari Welfare Council for focused development of Bodo villages outside BTR on the lines of other existing Councils for Plains Tribes for which a Bill will be placed for consideration in the Assembly during the ongoing Budget session.
Recognition and award of grants to tribal communities: Sarma said that in 2020-21 the government will propose to create an Autonomous Council for the Koch Rajbongshi community residing in undivided Goalpara district, excluding BTR and Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council areas, in the name of �Kamatapur Autonomous Council�.
�Similarly, two new autonomous councils for Moran and Mattak communities shall also be created in the near future. Our government has decided to provide a fund of Rs 500 crore as special package for Moran, Mattak, Chutia and Ahom communities at Rs 125 crore for each of the communities for preservation of ancient historical monuments, promotion and preservation of their indigenous culture and infrastructure development. The necessary budgetary provision has been made in this regard under the WPT&BC Department,� said Sarma.
Exclusion of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council from Assam State Capital Region Development Authority: In his Budget speech, the Finance Minister also announced exclusion of RHAC from the ASCRDA. �As announced in the previous year�s Budget, a State Capital Region has been established encompassing Guwahati and its neighbouring areas. In this regard, ASCRDA has been established to transform Guwahati into a vibrant and sustainable metropolis. Respecting the rights of the indigenous people, I propose to exclude the RHAC areas from the purview of the ASCRDA Act, 2017. Guwahati Development Department will bring necessary amendments to the legislation in this regard,� he said.
Promotion of Assamese language: Sarma said the government is going to bring in a legislation to make Assamese compulsory subject in all English and other medium schools up to Class X.
Making annual patta land transferable: Sarma said that the government has observed that a large number of indigenous people have annual patta under their possession since generations. �The New Land Policy, 2019, provides that henceforth there shall be no new annual patta issued in the State. However, we will now make the annual patta land transferable which will help our indigenous communities in a big way and propel economic activities. Revenue and Disaster Management Department has initiated steps to bring legal changes to allow this,� he said.
Indigenous Muslim Development Corporation: Sarma said that in the previous Budget the government had talked about creation of a Development Corporation for the indigenous Muslims of Assam. �Necessary steps for creation of the Development Corporation have now been initiated. As promised, we will provide Rs 100 crore in a phased manner once the corporation comes into existence. Our government has also initiated the socio-economic census of these communities on a war footing so that political, social and economic uplift of these disadvantaged communities can be undertaken. This will also solve the problem of �identity� that the Assamese Muslim community has faced since a long time,� said the Finance Minister.