New Delhi, July 22: A parliamentary panel has supported a legislation proposing to create an autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) within the state of Assam and asked the Centre to get it passed by Parliament. The proposed sixth schedule to the Constitution (amendment) bill, 2003, which was considered by parliamentary standing committee on home affairs, seeks to create an autonomous self-governing body within the state of Assam having legislative, administrative and financial powers in respect of specified subjects.
The bill, framed after a tripartite agreement between the Centre, Assam government and the insurgent outfit Bodo Liberation Tigers on February 10 this year, also seeks to provide adequate safeguards for non-tribals in the BTC areas in regard to rights and privileges, including land rights currently enjoyed by them.
In its 102nd report tabled in Parliament today, the 45-member panel chaired by Pranab Mukherjee said that it had deliberated on the bill and expressed its "whole-hearted support to give a fair trial to the tripartite agreement by way of the proposed legislation".
After having considered the entire legislation, the committee adopted it "without any amendments" and recommended that it could be passed by Parliament.
Stating that the existing Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) had failed to achieve its objectives, the panel said a fresh process of dialogue was started with BLT in 1999.
After 21 rounds of talks, a memorandum of settlement was signed this February which included creation of the BTC autonomous district within Assam and repeal of BAC act.
Bureau Report