The Government of Assam have been taking various steps to accelerate development process for the welfare of Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in the State through democratic decentralization of power and empowering the Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities to participate in the planning, monitoring and implementation of Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) schemes in grass root level by constituting Territorial Councils, Autonomous Councils and Development Councils for different Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in the State.

The various Autonomous Councils constituted by the Government are under the following heads:

• Territorial Councils under Sixth Schedule of Constitution of India
• Statutory Autonomous Councils constituted under State Act
• Territorial Councils under Sixth Schedule of Constitution of India

The Autonomous Councils are given varying degrees of autonomy within the State Legislature. In Assam there are 3 Autonomous Councils under Sixth-Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The 3 Autonomous Councils are:

• Bodoland Territorial Council
• Dima Hasao Autonomous District Council
• Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council

The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has legislative, administrative, executive and financial powers over 40 policy areas in the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts comprising 4 Administrative Districts namely Udalguri, Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar comprising various protected tribal belts and blocks in Assam and 40 Elected Representatives to the BTC Legislative Assembly and provisions for 6 Nominated Members to be nominated by the Governor of Assam from the unrepresented communities in the BTCLA through direct election in the districts of Assam. It was established in 2003 following a peace agreement between the Government of India and Bodo Liberation Tigers and is functioning since 2003 under the provision of the Amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The first Chief Executive Member of the BTC was Hagrama Mohilary. The headquarters of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is at Kokrajhar Town in Kokrajhar district.

The North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council, Dima Hasao District (NCHAC)  and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, East Karbi Anglong (KAAC) are  autonomous councils constituted under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India to administer the respective districts and for the development of the Tribal people. The headquarter of North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council, Dima Hasao District (NCHAC) is in Haflong, Dima Hasao district. The headquarter of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, East Karbi Anglong (KAAC) is in Diphu, East Karbi Anglong district.

Statutory Autonomous Councils constituted under State Act:

The Statutory Autonomous Councils are constituted for Social, Economic, Educational, Ethnic and Cultural advancement of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities living in Core Areas as well as in Satellite Areas covering many districts of Assam. There are six (6) Statutory Autonomous Councils namely,

• Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council
• Mising Autonomous Council
• Tiwa Autonomous Council
• Deori Autonomous Council
• Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council
• Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council

The Statutory Autonomous Councils has been provided with executive powers and functions on 34 subjects such as:

• Cottage Industry
• Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
• Forest other than reserved forest
• Agriculture
• Rural Roads and Bridges
• Sericulture
• Education
  • Adult Education
  • Primary Education
  • Up to Higher Secondary including vocational training
• Cultural Affairs
• Soil conservation
• Co-operation
• Fisheries
• Panchayat & Rural Development
• Handloom & Textile
• Public Health Engineering-Drinking Water
• Minor Irrigation
• Social Welfare
• Flood Control Schemes for protection of Villages (not of highly technical nature)
• Sports & Youth Welfare
• Weights & Measures
• Library services
• Museum and Archaeology
• Urban Development
• Town & Country Planning
• Tribal Research
• Land & Land Revenue [provided that no allotment or settlement of land shall be made in the Council area without the recommendation of the Executive Council]
• Publicity & Public Relation
• Tourism,
• Transport
• Municipal Board, Improvement Trust
• District of Boards & other local-self Government of Village Administration
• Tribal Welfare
• Market and Fair, Lotteries
• Theatres, Dramatic performances & Cinema,
• Vital Statistics including registration of birth and deaths & Food & Civil Supplies and takes different development related programmes covering these sectors for upliftment of ST peoples in different council areas.

Development Council:

For the Socio- Economic upliftment and sustainability targeted development of different backward communities the Government of Assam has created 33 Development Councils to decentralize power and responsibility so that they can take care of development needs. The main function of these Council bodies is to formulate various developmental schemes/project and to execute these in priority and need base manner.

The list of the councils is as given below:

1) Moran Development Council

2) Mottok Development Council

3) Maimal Development Council

4) Moria Development Council

5) Gorkha Development Council

6) Chutia Development Council

7) Adivasi Development Council

8) Nath Jogi Development Council

9) Koch Rajbongshi Development Council

10) Bishnupriya Manipuri Development Council

11) Tai Ahom Development Council

12) Mech Kachari Development Council

13) Manipuri Development Council

14) Sadharan Jati Development Council

15) Singpho (Man Tai) Development Council

16) Amri Karbi Development Council

17) Sarania Kachari Development Council

18) Barak Valley Hill Tribes Development Council

19) Tea & Ex-Tea Garden Development Council

20) SC Development Council

21) Chaodang Development Council

22) Madahi Development Council

23) Kumar Development Council

24) Hajong Development Council

25) Sut Development Council

26) Goria Development Council

27) Barman Kachari Development Council

28) Development Council for Karbi people residing outside Karbi Anglong

29) Hindi Speaking Development Council

30) Bengali Speaking Development Council

31) Jolha Development Council

32) Brahmin Development Council

33) Kalita Development Council (yet to be notified)

The creation of each of the Development Council was made by separate Gazetted Notification during the month of May and June in 2010 and in the month of January in the year 2011.  During the year 2015- 2016 also few Development Councils were created for socio-economic, educational, cultural and ethnic advancement of the people of the community within the State of Assam.

To regulate the various function/ activities of the Development Councils, the Government has issued Guidelines vide notification No.TAD/BC/105/2013/6 Dated 07.03.2013. Each of the Development Councils has their Council body with minimum 15 and maximum 25 members headed by Chairman elected by the Members of the Council.