After four decades of ethnic conflict and loss of around 20,000 lives, the Bodoland region on the northern banks of the mighty Brahmaputra in Assam is limping back to normalcy, peace and harmony. Once synonymous with insurgencies, violence, fear, instability and uncertainty for almost forty years, the autonomous region under the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan saw peace prevailing in the region for the last five years for the first time in recent history. The process of peace was started with the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020, followed by the Bodoland Peace Mission three years back, in which the regional administration under the Bodoland Territorial Council, headed by Pramod Boro, engaged in dialogue with the conflicting communities to bridge the gap among them.
Background
Spanning over four districts of Assam, namely Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri, and Chirang, the land of Bodos covers an area of around 9,000 square kilometres, accommodating 26 communities. The region was plagued with bloodshed to an extent that only in six years, Bodoland lost 1135 people between 1987 and 1993, while around 20,000 are said to be killed in the conflict, according to official figures. The losses were not only limited to humans but also brought immense damages to the flora and fauna, according to the BTC chief. Apart from the migration of numerous locals, several business organisations and banks left their designated places and shifted to other towns and cities during the agitation, resulting in the addition to the fund constraints of the administration.
Process of Peace
After the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020, the Pramod Boro administration is giving emphasis to the voices of the local people, and the BTC has published the ‘Community Vision Document’, accommodating and carrying the aspirations, demands, and grievances of the local people from 26 communities. Post the vision document, the BTC administration under Pramod Boro is putting efforts to resolve some of the local issues like recognition of traditional festivals, while aspirations like demand for inclusion in Schedule Tribes are to be handled by the Centre. The action plan of BTC in the form of the Community Vision Document is to be tabled before the central government in March. The council is also planning a dedicated department for the implementation of the vision document. After the establishment of peace in the recent past, the Pramod Boro-led council is now working on rehabilitating the sons of the soil back to their homeland.
The Path of Development
For the growth of the region, according to the BTC chief, policy and funding are two primary needs. While the BTC has elaborate policy ideas in the pipeline, funding is a constraint, claimed the BTC head. For example, there is a huge demand for good roads for which Rs 5,000 crores are needed, but the council gets only Rs 800 crores for the development of the entire region, posing a hurdle in the upgradation works. Given the situation, the council has demanded its inclusion in Article 280 of the Constitution to be able to receive more funds for the development of the region. To address the issue of fund constraints locally, the BTC is trying to ensure a cent percent implementation of central and state government sponsored schemes to leverage visible change in Bodoland. Efforts are also being made in the field of education and sports. “Since we do not have many civil servants, we are giving support to students for coaching for UPSC, APSC, medical, and engineering. We are also developing Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). There were seven ITIs, which are now 11 in number,” informed Mr Boro. The council chief has demanded the inclusion of a dedicated Bodo regiment from the centre. As informed by Mr Boro, the Union government is said to be exploring options on the demand. As the Bodo Peace Accord 2020 had one of the clauses for the inclusion of BRT youths in military and paramilitary, some of the local youths are to be recruited in the territorial army and Agniveer. While the numbers are fewer at present, the BDC is hopeful of more recruitments in the near future.
“In the agro sector, we have started the Pig Mission, Goat Mission, and Green Mission. Under the Bodoland Green Mission, the BTC is to hand over one lakh sandal saplings to farmers this year. Also, our target is to produce seven lakh kilos of ginger this year,” pointed out the BTC supremo.
The BTC has also undertaken data analysis to bring improvements in the sector. “In 2019-2020, the transactions in the agriculture sector were worth Rs 1,900 crores, while in 2024 it is worth Rs 3,600 crores. Our paddy production is more than 11 lakh metric tonnes. Now we are reorganising the whole thing, but it will take time,” he added.
Infrastructural Boost in Tourism
Crippled by decades of bloodshed, the BTR lacks proper infrastructure for accommodating high-end tourists, according to the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) leader. The present infrastructure is small scale and unable to offer better facilities to tourists. “We are taking Rs 160 crores to build infrastructure at five places in Bodoland. We got some funds from the Swadesh Darshan Scheme I and are expecting some more under the Swadesh Scheme II as well. Also, we have three international tourist spots where rafting centres can be started. While two are operational, the third one at the Sankosh River can be started. At Kokrajhar there is one paragliding centre where such activities can also be started,” he said. The district is also to have a ‘Mini Bodoland’ to showcase the richness of the region to tourists.
The BTC head hoped to develop the required infrastructure in two years.
The BTC supremo also felt that to sustain peace in the region, support from all stakeholders is needed to fill up viability gaps of around four decades.