|
| Rabiram Narzary |
Kokrajhar, March 12: The Bodoland People’s Progressive Front (BPPF) expressed dissatisfaction over the budget allocation to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and urged the state Assembly to rethink the budget allotted to the Bodo council.
The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) also urged the state Assembly to enhance more funds for the development of the region.
BPPF president Rabiram Narzary said it was a “low-level budget” and the budget allocated to the BTC region is not satisfactory.
“The state budget allocated only Rs 344 crore to the BTC whereas Rs 1,000 crore was allocated to the Barak Valley comprising Karimganj, Cachar and Hailakandi,” he said.
Narzary demanded at least Rs 500 crore for the BTC region.
Narzary said the Bodoland region — comprising the four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri — is a socially and economically backward region. However, the budget allocated to the region has showed lack of sincerity to develop the indigenous region.
Narzary said the BPF leaders, despite being an ally of the ruling Congress, could not put pressure to allot more funds to the BTC.
He said the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD) had recently witnessed riots that affected the region. However, the government has not allotted extra funds to the riot-affected region.
The BPPF also termed the budget as exhibiting “a double standards policy”.
He said on the one hand, the government is planning to ban tobacco, while on the other, it increased taxes on those products.
The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) deputy chief Khampa Borgoyary appealed to the state Assembly to enhance more funds for the development of the region.
Borgoyary said the budget tabled by chief minister Tarun Gogoi was a good one. “It is a good budget that stresses all-round development. But the BTAD should be provided more funds,” he added.
He said the state budget should earmark more funds to the BTAD region according to the population.
He appealed that more funds should be allocated for the development of the riot-hit region.
Borgoyary, who is also in charge of tourism in BTC, said the budget for tourism in the state would benefit the tourism sector in the BTAD as funds would also be allocated for the BTC tourism sector.
| 
