Tue Jan 28 15:36:11 IST 2025: **Bodoland Seeks Increased Funding Under Constitutional Amendment**
KOKRAJHAR, ASSAM – The Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in Assam is seeking greater financial autonomy to bolster development efforts in its remote districts, five years after the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord. Chief Executive Member Pramod Boro stated that the region, which has experienced decades of insurgency, now needs significant investment in infrastructure and job creation to maintain its hard-won peace.
Boro, addressing journalists on Monday, highlighted the BTR’s demand for inclusion under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution. This amendment would grant the region direct funding from the Union Government, supplementing its current annual budget of ₹800 crore (approximately 12% of Assam’s total budget). He emphasized that this additional funding is crucial for addressing the lack of banking infrastructure and businesses in the region, a consequence of past conflict.
The BTR, an autonomous administrative authority established under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, encompasses five districts and a population of over 31 lakh. While Boro expressed satisfaction with the five years of peace achieved since the 2020 peace accord, he stressed the need for policy and funding to unlock the region’s economic potential, citing opportunities in tourism and other sectors.
Boro revealed that the central government is reportedly preparing a final draft for a further amendment to the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which pertains to the Finance Commission and the Sixth Schedule. He also mentioned the release of a vision document for the region’s 26 communities and the upcoming release of a government vision document aiming for long-term development and job creation. While acknowledging the progress made, Boro cautioned against unjustified demands and stressed the importance of maintaining peace for the region’s future prosperity.
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