DIPHU — Member of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), Nirupam Chakma, was on a one-day visit to Diphu to review the problems faced by scheduled tribes under the jurisdiction of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and the functioning of the council.
Chakma had a meeting with the elected members of the KAAC, comprising the Executive Members (EMs) and Members of Autonomous Council (MAC) at the conference hall of the Old KAAC Secretariat building.
During the meeting EM of KAAC Surjya Rongphar told the visiting official that scheduled tribe people were not satisfied with the present sixth schedule due to certain limitations, adding that there has been mass movement since 1986, demanding an autonomous state under Article 244(A) of the Indian constitution but denied by the Centre.
The movement has led to the signing of MoU between the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) and the Central Government. Two resolutions have also been passed by the KAAC for implementation of article 244(A) of the Indian constitution, he informed.
Rongphar also said that there has been an armed movement, leading to the signing of the MoS in 2011 but the clauses in the MoS have not been fully implemented.
He also told Chakma that the KAAC has been demanding for direct funds from the central government, instead of being distributed through the state department and after due assent by the governor.
Claiming that there are more than 18,000 posts lying vacant in the state, he sought reservation for the STs.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Chakma said: “I have visited two sixth scheduled autonomous councils -- one in NC Hills and another here in Karbi Anglong -- to get to know the problems faced by scheduled tribes under these autonomous councils and the awareness needed to be created on plans and programmes of NCST for the welfare of scheduled tribes.”
“I am here to know about how the autonomous councils constituted under the sixth schedule to the constitution of India, works,” he added.