Introduction:

• The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is a territorial council in Assam state of India which have jurisdictions in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts. It was established on 10 of February 2003. The BTC has 46 executive members each looking after a specific area of control called somisthi.
• The area under the BTC jurisdiction is officially called the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). The region falls within the geographical map of least developed region in India.
• The agro-based economy is the only source of livelihood of the people. Industrialisation and other employment opportunities are scant.
• Bodoland is the gateway to the beautiful North Eastern Region of India, which was created very recently by curving out some area of eight districts of Assam namely Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darang and Sonitpur within the state of Assam.
• It is an autonomous Administrative unit constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India covering an area of 8795 Sq. Km (Provisional).

Administration:

• The administrative unit has been created with a mission to accomplish development in the area of economic, education, preservation of land right, linguistic aspiration, Socio-culture and ethnic identity of Bodos and above all to speed up the infrastructure development of communities in the BTC area.
• The actual functioning of council was started on 7th December 2003 by constituting the 12 members of the Council provisionally. After the Council Election on 13th May/05 and subsequent bye election in November/2005 all the 40 Members of Legislative Council has been formed to look after the development works in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts. The remaining 6 (Six) Members are nominated by the Governor of Assam from the unrepresented Communities.
• Thus altogether 46 M.C.L.As represent in the Council from all communities of BTC Area for area development. As per Memorandum of Settlement in the tripartite talks in the year 2003, 40 (Fourty) subjects has been entrusted to the BTC Authority for all round development of the people in this area.
• Subjects namely (i) Tribal Research Institute, (ii) Lotteries and Theatres etc., (iii) Intoxicating liquors etc., (iv) Registration of Birth and Death yet to be taken up by the council. The entire area covered under the BTC has been recognized with Kokrjhar as original district and forming other new district thus totaling 4(four) districts in BTC Area. The area under those four district has been estimated as follows:

Sl No Name of the District Area in  Sq. Km.

•  Kokrajhar                            3169.2
•  Chirang                               1069.96
•  Baska                                 3056.89
•  Udalguri                             1673.93

Location:

• The geographical boundary of BTC lies between 260 7'12'' N to 260 47' 50'' N Latitude and 890 47' 40'' E to 920 18' 30'' E Longitude and is in the North Western part of Assam. Kokrajhar town the Administrative Head Quarter lies roughly between 260 25' N Logitude and 990 16' 38'' E Latitude.
• Its strategic location is blessed with beautiful forests with of flora and founa.

Population:

• The population of BTC area as per 2001 Census report is 29.2 Lakhs out which the ST population is around 52% of which only 3% of the total population of live in urban area.The average density of the population in BTC is 326 Sq.K.m. compared to 340 per Sq.K.m. of Assam.
• Amongst the Tribal population Bodos, Rabhas and less quantity of Garos are inhabiting in this area out which Bodos will be 90%. The other communities like Ransbanhis, Sarania are which are also originated from Bodo group are inhabiting in large part of BTC.
• Besides Tea and Other Ex-Tea tribes including Santhal, Orao etc. are also available. Moreover, other general communities like Bengali, Assamese, Nepali and few numbers of Hindi speaking people are also found in the Council area.

Demand for Separate Bodoland State:

• The demand of Bodoland state is based on the racial ethnicity but the Indian Constitution does not guarantee a separate state based on racial ethnicity. A deeper analysis of issues of the Bodo community points out their fight for identity over land, territory and natural resources.
• The Bodo areas have been encroached and settled upon by others. The other problems are related to their low socio-economic status. Their demand for separate state by means of violence is however not acceptable. The creation of a separate state would not promise to resolve their issues. Rather it would create more problems by eruption of demand for statehood form other separatist groups.
• The Bodo’s issue should be dealt by the government by adopting policies to protect their cultural-linguistic identity and socio-economic development. The government should strengthen the autonomous, administrative divisions in Assam established on the basis of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
• Assam government should ensure wider people participation in implementation of the provisions of the Constitution for the Bodo community. At the same time, the government should strictly take action against the separatist groups who are creating organised violence in the region.
• Efforts o divide Bodo and non-Bodo people should be countered effectively. Granting of funds and special status to Bodo people is not just sufcient; the government should take measures to improve the other economic sectors of the region like development of agro-based industries, tourism and hydroelectric power generation etc.
• It will create more employment opportunities. On social development front, government should take efforts to create more educational opportunities and improve health facilities in the region. Measures to protect their language and cultural identity should be taken. The failures to implement the earlier measures should not be repeated.