BTR alleges Rs 1,500 crore financial irregularities under previous regime

Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) chief Pramod Boro on Saturday alleged that financial irregularities of over Rs 1,500 crore had taken place under the previous regime in the sixth schedule area.

He said a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been sought and the Assam government approached with a request to pursue the matter.

"When we took over the reins of BTR, we inherited a financial liability of Rs 3,000 crore, which is a huge amount for a council like ours. We got the accounts audited, and now the liability has reduced to about Rs 1,200 crore," Boro, addressing a press conference here marking the completion of three years in office, said.

Boro maintained that a work order for over Rs 1,500 crore was given by the previous BTR regime without putting it under any financial heads.

"The Bodoland council had adopted a resolution last year seeking a CBI probe into these irregularities," the chief executive member (CEM) said.

The BTR, then known as Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), was under the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) since its formation in 2003, with the current regime coming to power in 2020.

Boro leads an alliance of his party United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), BJP and Gana Suraksha Party.

Asked on whether the CBI has agreed to take up the investigation, Boro said the BTR has sent its request to the state government.

"We will be pursuing the matter with the state government. We are very clear that we will provide all assistance to any probe into these financial irregularities," he added.

On developmental activities undertaken by his administration, Boro said sustainable tasks have been started to ensure that the welfare programmes and schemes are not stopped midway.

He said about 20 flagship programmes, with a focus on areas from roads to education, healthcare and up-skilling, have been undertaken by his administration.

Emphasis is also being given on Bodoland Green Mission, under which mass plantation drives and earmarking 2 per cent of the BTR's budget for green and sustainable initiatives, among other measures, are being taken, Boro added.

"Our priority is the development of the area and we are focused on it," the CEM asserted.