Bodoland Territorial Council
The Bodoland Territorial Council is an autonomous district council for the Bodoland Territorial Region in India. It was established in February 2003.
The BTC has 40 elected members and an additional six members that are appointed by the Governor of Assam. The area under the BTC jurisdiction is officially called the Bodoland Territorial Region. The region falls within the geographical map of the least developed region in India. The agro-based economy is the only source of livelihood of the people. Industrialisation and other employment opportunities are scant.
The Bodoland Territorial Council is headed by a Speaker and is executive committee is chaired by a Chief Executive Member, most recently Hagrama Mahilary.
The BTR consists of four contiguous districts — Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang — carved out of seven existing districts — Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang and Sonitpur — an area of 8,822 km² comprising various protected tribal belts and blocks in Assam. Its establishment was under the Amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
The term of the previous council ended on 27 April 2020 and following the postponement of elections scheduled for 4 April 2020 a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic, Bodoland is under Governor's rule until a new council can be elected.
Powers and competencies
Executive and legislative powers
The executive and legislative powers of the Bodoland Territorial Council are derived from the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and the 2003 and 2020 Bodoland Peace Agreements.The powers and competencies of the council are as follows:
- Cottage Industry
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
- Forests
- Agriculture
- Public Works
- Silk Industry
- Education
- Soil Conservation
- Co-operatives
- Fisheries
- Handlooms and Textiles
- Health and Family Welfare
- Public Health Engineering
- Irrigation
- Social Welfare
- Flood control schemes
- Sports and Youth Welfare
- Weights and Measures
- Library Services
- Museums and Archaeology
- Urban Development and Town and Country Planning
- Tribal Research Institute
- College Education
- Land and Land Revenue
- Public Relations
- Printing and Stationery
- Tourism
- Transport
- Development
- Municipal Corporations
- Village administration
- Tribal Welfare
- Markets and Fairs
- Lotteries, Theatres, Dramatic Performance and Cinemas
- Registration of Births and Deaths
- Food
- Intoxicating liquors and opium and derivatives
Revenue and taxation
Executive Committee
Executive power is usually vested in a 14 member Executive Committee led by the Chief Executive Member. However, following the expiration of the present term of the council on 27 April 2020, all executive and legislative functions are currently exercised by a principal secretary acting on behalf of the Governor of Assam.In April 2020, Siddharth Singh has been appointed as the Principal Secretary of Bodoland Territorial Council, while Rajesh Prasad is posted as the administrator.
Membership (2015-2020 session)
The members of the Executive Committee up to 27 April 2020 were as follows:Executive Member | Portfolio | |
1 | Hagrama Mohilary | Chief Executive Member, PWD, P & RD, WPT & BC, IBA |
2 | Kampa Borogoyary | Deputy Chief Executive Member, Forest, Tourism, Education |
3 | Lwmsraw Daimary | PHE, Museum & Archaeology, Excise |
4 | Bonjar Daimary | Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Cinema, Cultural Affairs |
5 | Rajib Brahma | Irrigation, WPT & BC |
6 | Mritunjay Narzary | Social Welfare, Information & Public Relations |
7 | Alindra Mushahary | Land Revenue & Disaster Management, Printing & Stationery, Market & Fairs |
8 | Ganesh Kochary | Health Services, Cottage Industry |
9 | Doneswar Goyary | Urban Development and Town & Country Planning, Sports & Youth Welfare |
10 | Ansumwi Khungur Boro | Agriculture, Weight & Measure |
11 | Deben Boro | Handloom & Textile, Sericulture |
12 | Shyam Sundi | Fishery, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, Labour & Employment |
13 | Jagadish Sarkar | Soil Conservation, Transport, Cooperation |
14 | Maheswar Basumatary | Water Resources, Library Services |