Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Tuesday that his government would observe the birthday of prominent Bodo leader Upendranath Brahma on March 31 as ‘Chatra Divas’ or Student Day, emphasising the development of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), an autonomous council for the Bodoland Territorial region.
The CM, who was in Kokrajhar, Assam, for a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, paid a visit to Brahma’s home in Dotoma before his official duties. He spent time with the Bodo leader’s family members, checking up on their well-being and assuring them of the government’s full support.
He remembered Brahma’s commitment to the socioeconomic empowerment of the Bodos and paid tributes at his burial site in Dotoma, Thulunga Puri.
The CM lay the foundation stone for the infrastructure development of the burial ground as part of the Rs 10 crore special infrastructure development project.
Upendranath Brahma, one of the tallest personalities in the Bodo society, was posthumously awarded the title ‘Bodofa,’ which means “guardian of the Bodos.” In 1990, he died of a fatal condition at the age of 34.
Sarma later tweeted, “In honour of the contribution of Bodofa towards socio-economic & cultural empowerment of Bodo community, our Govt has decided to observe his birthday on March 31 every year as Chatra Divas. BTC Chief @PramodBoroBTR, Cabinet colleagues, MLAs, BTC EMs & members too were present”.
The Assam government held its Cabinet meeting at the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Secretariat in Kokrajhar for the first time. Later that day, the Assam Chief Minister dedicated the Bodoland Administrative Staff College at the Gaurang Cultural Complex in Kokrajhar.
“This will help in improving the administrative acumen among BTR staff and train them in several facets of administration, particularly in 6th Schedule & Autonomous Council administration,” he tweeted.
Sarma also visited the Kokrajhar Medical College construction site and evaluated its progress during his visit to Kokrajhar. He also requested that the construction company complete the work on time and follow all building procedures.
The CM also lay the foundation stone for the ‘VCDC Bhawan,’ which would house 229 Village Council Development Committee (VCDC) offices in Kokrajhar. VCDC is a Bodo Territorial Region local self-government organisation.
“An amount of Rs 25 lakh has been earmarked for the construction of each 229 VCDC office under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan,” Sarma tweeted.