Assam Budget Day 1: Discussion over 6th Schedule funding dominate session

Guwahati, Feb. 17: The development of the Sixth Schedule areas was the central focus on the first day of the 15th Assam Assembly’s budget session.

Legislators from both the government and the Opposition raised their pertinent issue, leading to extensive discussions that lasted for hours on Monday.

A key moment of the discussion came between Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, when the latter questioned the reduction in the allocated budget for the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in 2025.

“The BTR Budget in 2020-21 was Rs 680 crore. If it were to increase by 10% each year, it should have been Rs 1,095 crore in 2025. Instead, the state government has slashed the funds to Rs 800 crore,” Gogoi pointed out.

Gogoi also questioned budgetary allocations for Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, urging the state to advocate for increased funding of these autonomous councils to the Centre.

Responding to Gogoi, Chief Minister Sarma began by accusing the Raijor Dal chief of attempting to disrupt the session with his provocative remarks.

“I request Akhil Gogoi to stop inciting. We are here to focus on peace and development, not to provoke people into starting a movement,” Sarma said.

The Chief Minister then clarified that the Centre does not provide funds directly to Sixth Schedule areas. However, following the enactment of the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill, funds will flow directly from the Finance Commission to the Sixth Schedule areas.

“This will not only benefit Assam but also Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya,” Sarma added.

He highlighted that, as part of the amendment, 60 additional seats would be created in the BTR, and various VC and DC offices would be converted into municipal bodies to ensure greater participation.

Earlier in the session, Minister Nandita Gorlosa spoke in support of the Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture (ITFC) department, which was established in July 2021 to promote sustainable practices amid global climate crisis.

“This department is vital as the world faces the climate emergency. Many cultural and traditional practices are sustainable, and Assam has the opportunity to lead in promoting these indigenous practices,” Gorlosa said.

However, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia expressed concerns that the provisions of the Sixth Schedule alone were insufficient. Highlighting the need for additional measures, he said, "While there are concerns about granting land to indigenous people, land is often being diverted for industrialisation purposes, leaving indigenous communities at risk,” Saikia said.

On the Union Budget for 2025-26, Saikia pointed out a lack of adequate funding for Sixth Schedule areas. “Karbi Anglong has been allocated Rs 50 crore, Dima Hasao’s budget has increased from Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore, but the BTR’s funding has been slashed by 71%,” Saikia noted.