Autonomous Hill Development Council
- April 28, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Autonomous Hill Development Council
Subject: Polity
Section: Federalism
Why in News?
Assam tribal group Dimasa National Liberation Army signs pact with government to shun violence, following a tripartite agreement, Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Centre and the Assam government. Among the provisions of the MoS is formation of a Dimasa Welfare Council, headquartered in Guwahati.
Autonomous Hill Development Council:
- Established under Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
- Article 244 (2) and Article 275 (1) of the Constitution.
- To safeguard the rights of the tribal population in these states.
- Governor is empowered to increase or decrease the areas or change the names of the autonomous districts.
- Fifth schedule areas – executive powers of the Union will apply; But Sixth schedule areas – within executive authority of the state.
- Fifth schedule – administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes in any state except the four states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. These 4 states are administered under sixth schedule.
- The acts of Parliament or the state legislature do not apply to autonomous districts and autonomous regions or apply with specified modifications and exceptions.
- The Councils have also been endowed with wide civil and criminal judicial powers, for example establishing village courts etc. However, the jurisdiction of these councils is subject to the jurisdiction of the concerned High Court.
- In Assam – Hill districts of Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and West Karbi and the Bodo Territorial Region are under Sixth Schedule.
According to the MoS signed, Dimasa Welfare Council, headquartered in Guwahati is to be formed based on the recommendations of which the state will provide development funds for Dimasa people “residing outside the jurisdiction of North Cachar Autonomous Hills Council”.
MoS Provisions
- Economic rehabilitation of surrendered cadre
- Withdraw of criminal cases for non-heinous offences
- Review of criminal cases for heinous offences a case-to-case basis
- The Centre and the state may consider a Rs500- crore package each over five years for infrastructure development.