The meeting came about after several groups expressed their dismay over implementation of the MoS signed by the Centre and the State. Joint Secretary (North-east), Shambhu Singh chaired separate rounds of tripartite meeting with the representatives of the groups.
The Government of Assam team was led by Commissioner and Secretary Home G D Triparti and included Additional DG (Special Branch) Pallab Bhattacharya among others. The meeting was also joined by representatives of Central ministries concerned including DoNER, Tourism, Food Processing, Road Transport and Highways, Civil Aviation among others.
Biswajit Daimary, who was part of the delegation led by Chairman of BTC Hagrama Mohilary told this newspaper that the discussions mainly reviewed the implementation of the MoS. He said that they are demanding that the departments of Finance and Relief and Rehabilitation should be handed over to the BTC.
Daimary complained according to the terms of the MoS, allocation of funds should have been as per the ratio of population. But it has not been done. The BPF has also demanded increase of the Rs 50 crore grant given annually.
The BPF, said Daimary, has stressed handing over of the relief and rehabilitation department, as BTC is seriously handicapped. The BTC has to compromise in handling emergency situations because it lacks the authority to sanction funds in the event of natural disasters. If BTC is sanctioned funds for emergencies like floods and other natural disasters, then BTC does not have to depend on the State Government at Dispur in handling emergent situation.
Damiary said that several other vital issues like sanctioning of funds for Assam Police deployed in BTC areas were also discussed. Currently, Assam Government has sanctioned only Rs 25,000 for fuel expenditure to the police. This has seriously handicapped police operation in the highly sensitive BTC areas, he said.
It was decided at the meeting that yet another meeting would be convened with the State Government to thrash out the differences that have hampered the implementation of the MoS.
Meanwhile, both the factions of the DHD and UPDS called for rehabilitation of their cadres. DHD chief Dilip Nunisa and Niranjan Hojai represented their organisations.
Source: Assam Tribune
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