Delegations of various organisations representing Sonowal Kachari, Koch Rajbangshi, Mising and Thengal Kachari communities on Tuesday called on Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
The leaders of various communities of Assam had meetings with Sonowal at his conference room at Assam Legislative Assembly and submitted their demands.
The Sonowal Kachari representatives raised the issue of bringing the community into the ambit of the cabinet sub-committee constituted by the state government to study the feasibility for including some Scheduled Tribes of the state in Constitution’s Sixth Schedule.
The Assam CM directed the state chief secretary to look into the matter and explore the possibility.
They also urged the chief minister to take necessary action for increasing the constituencies allotted to Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council from present 26 to 33 for better representation of the community.
Construction of hostels for underprivileged students of Sonowal Kachari community in the seven districts dominated by the community and a Sonowal Kachari Bhawan at Guwahati were some other demands.
The CM assured of positive response in the matter.
Holding discussion with the Rajbangshi organisation representatives, the CM assured to take up the matter of expediting the process of granting schedule tribe status to the six communities with the union home minister and union tribal affairs minister.
He also urged the community to work for preserving the Rajbangshi language and literature and said the state government would extend all help for the purpose.
The chief minister asserted that Rajbongshi Sahitya Sabha had a crucial role in strengthening the Rajbongshi language and they must fulfil their responsibility.
The chief minister also informed the delegation about the state government’s initiative to name 1000 wooden bridges, which were being concretised, after Lachit Barphukan and Bir Chilarai.
He also informed about the government’s plan to build Bir Chilarai Cultural Complex.
He also assured of providing land for the construction of a Koch Rajbongshi Bhawan at Guwahati.
Later, he also held meetings with the Mising and Thengal Kachari communities and received memorandums of their demands.
