Tripura tribal welfare minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia has written a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah demanding to place the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019 on the floor of Parliament.

He says that the 125th Amendment would empower the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Jamatia, the general secretary of the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), a partner in the BJP led government of the state wrote that the bill needs to be passed on the floor of Parliament ‘immediately’ in the larger interest of the indigenous people of Tripura.

“I must mention here that we came to power with these commitments to the indigenous people of Tripura. Considering the sentiments of the people, the issue may be given utmost priority,” Jamatia reminded Shah.
He also reiterated the demand for sanctioning of about Rs 8,000 crore for developmental work in the tribal areas.

Jamatia also demanded that a report of the high-level committee constituted by the Union home ministry ( which is yet to be published) should be released as well as a project proposed by his department, which is is still pending with the home ministry .

“I would request you to kindly look into the matter personally and arrange passage of the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019 towards empowerment of the indigenous tribal population of the state, thereby fulfilling their aspirations to ensure the slogan Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” Jamatia wrote.

Earlier, on several occasions, the IPFT wrote letters and met with the central leadership demanding the passage of the bill in Parliament to empower the TTAADC.

What’s the 125th Amendment: Some highlights:

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Rajya Sabha by the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Rajnath Singh on February 6, 2019. The Bill amends provisions related to the Finance Commission and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The Sixth Schedule relates to the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

Village and Municipal Councils: The Sixth Schedule states that tribal areas in certain regions of these four states will be ‘autonomous districts’, each consisting of a District Council. Further, the Governor may divide an autonomous district into autonomous regions, each consisting of a Regional Council. The administration of autonomous districts and regions will be carried out by District and Regional Councils, respectively.

The Bill amends this to provide for Village and Municipal Councils in addition to the District and Regional Councils. Village Councils will be established for villages or groups of villages in rural areas, and Municipal Councils will be established in urban areas of each district. Further, the District Councils may make laws on various issues, including: (i) number of Village and Municipal Councils to be formed, and their composition, (ii) delimitation of constituencies for election to the Village and Municipal Councils, (iii) powers and functions of Village and Municipal Councils.

Further, the Bill states that the Governor may make rules for devolution of powers and responsibilities to the Village and Municipal Councils. Such rules may be framed in relation to: (i) preparation of plans for economic development, (ii) implementation of land reforms, (iii) urban and town planning, and (iv) regulation of land-use, among other functions.

  125th Constitution Amendment, Election promises, Northeast, Sixth Schedule, Tripura