113 more villages added to Tiwa Autonomous Council in Assam

Morigaon, Aug 6 (PTI) The Assam government has included 113 more Tiwa-inhabited villages in the Tiwa Autonomous Council, taking the total to 263 villages, an official notification said on Tuesday.

The newly included villages are 30 from the Morigaon district, 52 from the Nagaon district, three from Hojai district, and 28 from the Dhemaji district.

Tiwa community, known for its rich cultural heritage in central Assam, had been demanding for a long time to include these villages in the Autonomous Council.

The historic Tiwa (Lalung) Agreement was signed on April 13, 1995, between the state government and the Tiwa community leaders.

The Tiwa Autonomous Council was formed with Narayan Kumar Radukakoti as the Chief Executive Member in 1995.

It had been demanding the inclusion of these villages for a long time, Council's Chief Executive Member (CEM) Jiban Chandra Konwar said.

He thanked Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister of State for Plains Tribes and Backward Classes, Ranoj Pegu and Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika for taking steps to fulfil the community's long-standing demand.

Konwar also appealed to the state government to take steps to fulfil the community's long-standing demands, including the Sixth Schedule autonomous administration and other unresolved demands. PTI cor DG SBN DG SBN