The Hindu : National : Dropping guns, Bodo militants take up development issues

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Dropping guns, Bodo militants take up development issues

Vinay Kumar

KOKRAJHAR (ASSAM): Once the hotbed of insurgency, the area in Bodoland that encompasses four districts in Assam is now ruled by former cadres of the Bodoland Liberation Tigers (BLT) who entered into an agreement with the Centre and the Assam government in 2003 to create an autonomous territorial council. Not so long ago the BLT militants spoke the language of gun and extortion, but now they are for all-round development of the area under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

They talk about well-laid extensive roads, sports and cultural complexes, engineering colleges and hospitals, drinking water supply, rail and air connectivity and, on top of it, they are comfortable with the public-private route through which industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) could be set up.

“There should be at least one industrial park and one SEZ in Kokrajhar. But nobody either in New Delhi or Guwahati cares for our council,” Kampa Borgowary, BTC deputy chief told visiting newspersons here.

The BTC has sought from the Centre an additional Rs. 500 crore for development of the four districts under its jurisdiction. Mr. Borgowary said the Rs. 500-crore package given in 2003 was “very small” for the huge area under the council, which stretches over Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri districts, covering 8,900 sqkm and a 30-lakh population.“Very soon, we are going to utilise the entire Rs. 500 crore for projects aimed at creating socio-economic infrastructure. We need more funds to develop our backward area.” Mr. Borgowary was also sore over the “complicated” process of the BTC receiving funds from Delhi which are routed through the State government. It is also getting a 12 per cent share from the State’s annual plan.

The BTC had taken the private-public route for some major projects. Infrastructure Leasing and Finance Services (IL&FS) had undertaken construction of a mini hydel unit at the Champamati Irrigation project.

Kokrajhar district would soon have a state-of-the-art cultural complex, being constructed at a cost of Rs. 18 crore. The town, which was without a water supply scheme, would get one at a cost of Rs. 24 crore. A Rs. 41-crore superspeciality hospital was coming up in Chirang district.

Area of concern

However, a key area of concern is rehabilitation of the former BLT militants, numbering around 2,630. “Those who were fit and qualified have been absorbed in the Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force,” Mr. Borgowary said.

Some of the persons whose wards, all former BLT cadres, have found employment in Central forces were satisfied. The sons of Bichitra Kumar Brahma, R. Narzary, and R. K. Basumatary have been recruited in the Central forces. “For us, language may be a handicap in conveying our feelings but Bodos are known for their simplicity, generosity and honesty which are our strength,” summed up Mr. Narzary.

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