Assam Govt dissolves BMDC

Previous Gogoi government unnecessarily constituted development councils for their selfish political gains

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Nov 4: In the name of welfare of different communities, the previous Congress government in Assam constituted several development councils. Although in the beginning, the government tried to keep its focus on the welfare of these communities through these councils, later the focus got shifted to appeasement of a section of political leaders by the government, thereby diluting the very objective of these councils. Thirty one development councils were formed by the previous government and many of these were constituted even without taking practical aspects into consideration.

Realizing the reasons for which the previous Congress government formed so many development councils in the State, the present BJP-led State government at Dispur dissolved all the development councils, excluding two, through a notification (No. TAD/BC/402/2016/104) issued on Thursday.

The Manipuri Development Council and the Maimal Development Council have not been dissolved by the present government this time due to cases pending in the court.

The decision to constitute development councils for the welfare of different communities in Assam was conceived by the previous Congress government following delay in according ST status to six communities - Moran, Muttock, Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Sootea and Tea Tribes – by the Central government. Initially, development councils for these six communities were constituted by the State government, but later went on forming councils for other communities also.

These councils were formed to implement different development schemes in their respective areas with the help of government funding. Initially, funds were provided to these councils by the State government, but in the last two financial years of the Tarun Gogoi government, many of these councils didn’t receive their fund share. In the financial year 2015-16, not a penny was given to these councils by the previous government.

During the previous government days, many political appointments, mainly of a section of Congress leaders, were given in these councils. Those Congress leaders were given the post of chairman or other high positions in these councils.

It may be mentioned here that no Act was passed in the Assam Assembly by the previous government for the constitution of such development councils in the State.

The 29 councils dissolved by the present State government are Moran Development Council, Mottock Development Council, Moria Development Council, Gorkha Development Council, Chutia Development Council, Adivasi Development Council, Nath Jogi Development Council, Koch Rajbongshi Development Council, Bishnupriya Manipuri Development Council, Tai Ahom Development Council, Mech Kachari Development Council, Sadharan Jati Development Council, Singpho (Man Tai) Development Council, Amri Karbi Development Council, Sarania Kachari Development Council, Barak Valley Hill Tribes Development Council, Tea and Ex-Tea Gardens Development Council, SC Development Council, Chaodang Development Council, Madahi Development Council, Kumar Development Council, Hajong Development Council, Sut Development Council, Goria Development Council, Barman Kachari Development Council, Development Council for Karbi people residing outside Karbi Anglong, Hindi Speaking Development Council, Bengali Speaking Development Council and Jolha Development Council.