Kokrajhar (Assam), Feb 17 (PTI) Assam's Sixth Schedule areas are poised to emerge as the most prosperous regions in the next few years with a positive shift in the mindset of people, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted on Monday, as Kokrajhar hosted the first-ever sitting of the Assembly outside the state capital.

While affirming that "the rights of the tribal people have been ensured in these areas," he added, "it is now upon the leaders of these regions to assuage apprehensions among non-tribals that their identity could be threatened." The chief minister was participating in a discussion under the ‘Speaker’s initiative’ on ‘Socio-economic and all-round development of Sixth Schedule Areas’ during the inaugural day of the Budget session here.

Areas under Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council fall under the Sixth Schedule in the state.

"There has been massive development in these areas in the last 10 years. People are welcoming development without resistance. There has been a change in people's mindset, and these parts will be the most prosperous in the next few years," Sarma maintained.

He expressed gratitude to the leadership of political, social and all other organisations of BTR, cutting across affiliation, for bringing an atmosphere of peace in the area.

"Since 1985, no chief minister had spent a night in Kokrajhar. In the last three years, I stayed here overnight multiple times. For such a situation where we can now hold the assembly sitting here, a lot of spadework has gone and we have to be thankful to all organisations and the people," Sarma said.

"Holding the assembly sitting in Kokrajhar has been the highest point of my career," he added.

The CM emphasised that while the rights of the tribals have been ensured in the Sixth Schedule areas through constitutional safeguards, non-tribals residing in these places must also be made to feel secure.

"I request the Bodos to safeguard the non-tribals as they still suffer apprehension about protecting their language, culture, identity. The same appeal is also for the leadership in KAAC and NCHAC," he said.

Sarma maintained that Sixth Schedule areas would gain further financial and political power once the 125th Amendment to the Constitution comes through.

The Gelephu Mindfulness City Project in neighbouring Bhutan could also be a gamechanger for BTR, he said.

"The king of Bhutan has told me that the rich will come to stay in the mindfulness city but they will need to invest somewhere. The bordering areas of BTR could emerge as the investment destination," he added.

He announced a package of Rs 500 crore for construction of roads in BTR, Rs 200 crore package for Karbi Anglong and Rs 100 crore for Dima Hasao.

On demand by several legislators for more fund allocation to BTR and other areas, Sarma said the government was ready to do so if the MLAs were okay with diverting funds from other heads.

He asserted that the present state government views the Sixth Schedule areas as ‘collaborators in development, and not in competition’, which has ensured development of these areas in the recent years. PTI SSG SSG MNB