Assam govt to set up autonomous councils for 3 communities

The state government on Thursday announced the formation of three autonomous councils for Koch-Rajbangshi, Moran and Motok communities.

The BJP-led government also declared that Rs 125 crore would be provided to each of the Ahom, Chutia, Moran and Motok communities for "generating self-employment opportunities, infrastructure development, preservation of monuments and archaeological heritage", an official release said here.

All the decisions were made during a meeting between Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and representatives of these communities in the state capital at the backdrop of massive protests against the amended Citizenship Act in Assam.

One extra seat would also be allotted for Moran community in a medical college of the state, the release said.

"The state government will submit the recommendation of Group of Ministers for giving Schedule Tribe (ST) status to six communities of the state to the Central Government within January," it said.

The Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea-Tribes have been agitating for the ST status for a long time.