House passes Rs 843 crore budget for fiscal year 2025-2026
KOKRAJHAR, APRIL 24: The two-day Budget Session of the Bodoland Territorial Council Legislative Assembly (BTCLA) for the fiscal year 2025-2026 concluded on Thursday with nod of approval Rs.843 crore for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
Katiram Boro, the speaker of the BTC Legislative Assembly, chaired the session,and the house approved the normal estimated budget presented by the chief executive member of Bodoland Territorial Council, and Finance in-charge, Pramod Boro.
Notably, CEM of Bodoland Territorial Region, Pramod Boro,who is also Finance in-charge, on Wednesday presented he normal estimated budget of Rs. 843 crore that highlighted emphasizing towards the massive welfare and development of the citizens, especially sustainable development under the Vibrant BTR Mission in days to come.The house of the BTCLA has passed the approval of the estimated normal budget after a general discussion.
The budget is in addition to the special allocation under the State-Owned Priority Development (SOPD) scheme for the council.
In his speech, the CEM of BTR, Pramod Boro said that the budget for the year, under the theme— ‘Vibrant BTR Mission’ Sangharsh to Nirman 2025-2026 was based on people-centric approach that envisaged need-based asset creation, and need-based scheme and project implementation.
Stating the Budget as vision of a “Vibrant BTR Mission,” Boro emphasized that the budget is rooted in rigorous planning aimed at strengthening the Bodoland Model of Peace through sustainable development, good governance, and social harmony.He said that the budget is rooted in rigorous planning aimed at strengthening the permanent peace through sustainable development, better governance, and social integration.
Of the 40 departments, the Budget has highlighted, the Transformation and Development department has the highest allocation of funds amounting to Rs. 126.27 crores followed by Education with an amount of Rs. 105.05 crores and Health amounting to Rs. 47.74 crores while the department of Lottery allocated the least with an amount of Rs. 1 lakh followed by Excise-15 lakhs and Legal Metrology-35 lakhs respectively.
In his budget speech, Boro also made announcements for establishment of Bodoland Community Welfare Department to promote language, culture, and literature, Bodoland Community Museum in Chirang, and Bodoland International School of Peace and Happiness in Tamulpur.
CEM Boro stated that the normal budget of Bodoland Territorial Council for the financial year 2025-26 that was presented to the August House of BTCLA highlighting that the present government had been working diligently towards achieving a financial best practice in the council which is grounded on transparency and accountability as per norms stipulated by the Principal Accountant General of Assam. The normal budget has been prepared by incorporating the SOPD grants amount against the provision made in the State Budget for BTC as grants along with the BTC’s own source of estimated Revenue Receipts and Expenditures, he said adding that the budget estimates amount for the entrusted departments were provided according to the sectoral allocation issued by the Transformation and Development (T&D) Department.
He said that the the budget is a people’s oriented budget for the Bodoland Territorial Region as emphasized towards the massive ushering of development and welfare of the people.
He said that the budget has been stressed to strengthen work culture and technology driven initiative for good governance across the region, and accordingly launched various humanity welfare services since it’s inception to the reign.
He said that the council government has special focussed on the development of child and women, especially needy last people of the society.He mentioned that the the council government launched the community vision document involving the 26 communities who are residing in Bodoland region that highlighted it’s uplift, development and welfare of language,culture and several aspects.He stated that the vision document is a document of the communities to make it a wellbeing of the communities.
” The BTC Budget is highlighted the vision for inclusive growth, better infrastructure, and financial transparency”, CEM Boro reaffirmed the council’s commitment to a progressive Bodoland.
As this is the last Budget session of the current council government, all the members of rulling bench opined that the Budget of CEM Pramod Boro was inclusive to deliver equal develioment and justice to 26 communities of the region. One of the EMs Wilson Hasda in his opinion said the CEM Pramod Boro was connecting all the communities with his inclusive Mission and going to deliver equal justice to all without delay while opposition leader Derhasat Basumatary said the Budget was seen just 5 pc enhancement. He said the Budget of the last financial year was pegged at Rs. 803 crores and this year it goes to Rs. 843 crores with just 5 pc enhancement. He also said as per population pattern the BTC should get 12.19 pc share from the state government but the council had never receive funds based on population ratio. He further said the maintenance bill and material components of the departments had been cut since last year, makes the departments helpless to maintaining their respective departments.
BTR executive member, Gautam Das stated that the budget of the council is a people’s hope budget, being presented by the CEM of Bodoland Territorial Region, Pramod Boro that focused on the human resource development across the communities.
On the other hand EM Daobaisa Boro by bringing a motion raised questioned about the continuous abstation of MCLA of Debargaon constituency and former Chief Hagrama Mohilary in the Assembly session and if there is any action upon him for not attending sessions in the last five years. In his reply Speaker Katiram Boro said Mohilary was still representing Debargaon as an MCLA and action would be taken as per rule in near future.
During the session,the members of the BTCLA participated in the general discussion,and emphasized towards bringing healthy welfare and development of the society.Thr house focused unitedly on the substrate development and social integration amongst the citizens.
Meanwhile,the ruling United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) has hailed the budget presented by CEM of Bodoland Territorial Region, Pramod Boro for the fiscal year 2025-2026 for the Bodoland Territorial Region.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, UPPL general secretary, Raju Kumar Narzary stated that the budget tabled by the CEM of BTR, Pramod Boro is a people’s friendly budget that focused on the humanity welfare and development.
He said that the emphasized towards the sustainable development and welfare services of the citizens.He said that the BTC government led by Pramod Boro is working dedicatedly towards the uplift and development of the common masses as government has been rendering relentless services.He said that the peace is prevalent in BTR,and accordingly development spirit is gaining up across the region.He said that the BTC government has given nod to create Bodoland Community Welfare Department in the region to work unitedly for the recognised 26 communities in Bodoland region.He said that people cutting across the communities are satisfied with the initiatives initiated by the BTR government towards the ushering of sustainable development and tranquility since it’s inception to the reign in BTR.
