Assam creates Bodoland Department

Issues related to Bodoland was under the Welfare of Plains Tribes and Backward Classes Department

The Assam government on Wednesday created the Welfare of Bodoland Department for dealing with issues related to four districts under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

The affairs of Bodoland were under the Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes Department earlier.

The announcement was made after a Cabinet meeting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired.

The Cabinet also decided to set up the Bodoland Administrative Staff College in Kokrajhar, the headquarters of BTR, and start it immediately from a rented building if no suitable government facility is available.

The Bodos are the largest plains-dwelling ethnic community in the northeast, and the focus of the Cabinet on Bodoland is believed to have been a reward for playing a role in voting the Bharatiya Janata Party back to power in Assam.

Dr. Sarma said a decision was also taken to eliminate the system of seeking the Finance Department’s approval for releasing monthly stipends to beneficiaries of schemes for the old age pension, widows and the differently-abled.

“The senior-most secretary of the department concerned has been empowered to transfer cash to the accounts of the beneficiaries within the 10th of every month,” he said.

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