From Preetam Brahma Choudhury
Kokrajhar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released its election manifesto for the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections. Assam Health, and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma released the manifesto in the presence of party general secretary Dilip Saikia and state president Ranjit Kumar Dass here in Kokrajhar .
Releasing the manifesto, the senior BJP leader said the BJP party is duty bound to implement the every clause of 3rd Bodo Accord or Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Accord signed on 27th January, 2020 in letter and spirit. “Both inclusion and exclusion of villages from the region as per the Accord shall be done once the BJP comes to power in BTC, he said.
Sarma said the Village Council Development Committee (VCDC) system will be abolished and a three tier Panchayati system will be introduced. He also said the present Central Selection Board will be abolished and a merit-based system will be introduced for the appointment to Government posts and respective departments will be responsible for conducting exams to fill up vacancies in respective districts Sarma also announced reserving 10% of the Government posts in BTC for economically backward people.
He also promises construction of 4000 km road, 100 km in each 40 constituencies, and construction of Bodoland University campus at Udalguri, construction of a government college in each subdivision of BTC, 30 bedded hospital in each of the 40 constituencies, 40 nos of stadium in each of the constituencies amounting 10 lakhs each. “I would also like to announce that a Medical College will be constructed at Tamulpur in Baksa district at the earliest and Tamulpur will be made a separate district curving out of present Baksa district, he said adding that 50 nos of place of worships in each BTC constituencies will be developed,
The minister also stated that once the BJP comes to power buying and selling of land will be made easy and the process will be made so that one can buy or sell his or her land within a 15-30 days month. The minister also announced Rs 3000 each in the bank account of tea garden beneficiaries and building of high school and higher secondary schools in tea garden areas.
He also said probes will be carried out into each political assassination in the region, and the death of ABMSU leader Lafikul Ali will be properly probed within 2-3 months once the BJP comes to power in the BTC.
Continuing his verbal attack on the BPF, the minister said in the last 5 years the state govt has allocated a huge amount for the development of BTC, but the maximum amount was utilised in supply. “From now onward only 30 percent of the amount allocated to BTC will be utilised in supply and the rest 70 percent for building capital assets. A guideline will be issued by the state govt in 15 days, he said adding that in 2019-2020 alone under SOPD 671 crore was given to BTC, under Assam state finance commission Rs 140 crore, Rs 300 crore special package and the Central government has provided Rs 2000 which were not utilised properly.
The BJP leader expressed confidence of the party winning and forming the government in BTC with absolute majority. “We are winning at least 22 out of the 27 seats. One must not be surprised if we win in all 27 seats, Sarma said.
Elections to the 40 members Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) will be in two phases on December 7 and 10 next. Counting of votes will take place on December 12.
