Assam: Bodoland Territorial Council passes Rs 2084 crore budget amid opposition dissatisfaction

The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has adopted a general budget of Rs 2084 crore 78 lakh 61 thousand during the budget session held at the Bodoland Provincial Assembly Building in Kokrajhar. The session, which commenced yesterday, concluded today with the passing of the budget.

Chief Executive Member in charge of the BTC's finance department, Pramod Boro, presented the budget on the first day of the session. The ruling United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councilors lauded the budget as pro-people and beneficial for the region.

However, the opposition, led by Bodoland People's Front (BPF) councilor Derhasat Basumatary, expressed strong dissatisfaction. Basumatary criticized the allocation of Rs 803 crore for the Special Plan for Development (SOPD) across 40 departments, calling it insufficient for the overall development of the BTC. He noted that the budget for SOPD has seen only a minimal increase of Rs 3 crore from the previous year's Rs 800 crore, raising concerns about the adequacy of funding for various institutions.

Basumatary further accused the ruling party of crafting a budget for personal gains rather than public welfare. He questioned the effectiveness of initiatives like the Bodoland Green Mission, Bodoland Child Protection Mission, and Bodoland Women's Empowerment Mission, which are set to receive 1-2% of the budget. He criticized the ruling party's focus on "Transformation & Development," suggesting it was driven by self-interest.

Despite the opposition's criticism, the budget was passed, signaling the ruling party's commitment to their proposed development plans.