The Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) is an autonomous council under the Republic of India. It is located in the Northeast Indian state of Mizoram, of which it covers about 3.25% area of the state. It governs part of the Lawngtlai district that is sometimes called the Chakma District (Chakma: 𑄌𑄋𑄴𑄟𑄳𑄦 𑄝𑄟𑄴, 'Canghma Bamh' ), a landlocked autonomous district. The Chakma District lies bordered to the north by Lunglei District, to the east by Lai District, and shares international boundaries to the south with Chin State in Myanmar, and to the west with the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. The administrative headquarters of the Chakma district is in Kamalanagar (also known as Chawngte). Covering an area of 686.25 km2 (approximately 265 square miles), the Chakma district makes up about 3.25% of the total area of Mizoram. According to the 2011 Census of India, the district is home to a population of 62,094.
Its headquarters is at Kamalanagar. The Chakma people has been demanding to change the status of the Chakma Autonomous District Council into a Union territory under the name Chakmaland.
The CADC was formed under the Sixth schedule of the Constitution of India on 29 April 1972. The council is the replication of the state assembly and exercises executive power over specially allotted departments. It is one of the three Autonomous District Councils of Mizoram state in North-East India. It is an autonomous council for ethnic Chakma people living in South-Western Mizoram bordering Bangladesh and Myanmar. There is also a growing demand to convert the CADC into 'Chakmaland' union territory.
Etymology The name Chakma derives from the Chakma people, the primary inhabitants of this autonomous region. The term "Chakma" is believed to have derived from "Tsak" which is associated with Sakhya clan.
History In 1954 the Central and Assam governments established a regional council, the Pawi Lakher Regional Council (PLRC), for the Lakhers (aka Mara) and the Pawis (aka Lai), in which a large number of Chakmas also resided. However, the PLRC could not function properly right from its inception as there was no common communication language among the three tribal communities to understand each other. The first meeting was held without understanding each other's language. Consequently, in 1958 the Maras boycotted PLRC meetings. In 1972, to resolve the issue the PLRC was divided into three regional councils and upgraded to 3 district councils for Maras, Lais and Chakmas: Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) and CADC.
While MADC remained under a single district of Saiha, CADC and LADC were accommodated under the Lawngtlai district with the district headquarters at Lawngtlai. The then Chakma leaders of the Mizo District Council and Pawi-Lakher Regional Council actively engaged themselves with the Government of Assam and the Government at the centre for the creation of an autonomous council for the Chakmas of Mizoram with the inclusion of all Chakma inhabited areas which presently remains outside CADC. Unfortunately only the portion under Pawi-Lakher Regional council got considered. Out of that also many Chakma inhabited villages along the eastern bank of river Tuichawng were not considered under CADC. Thus two-third of the Chakmas of Mizoram had to remain outside the council.
Geography The surface area of the Chakma Autonomous District Council is 686.25 km2. The headquarters of Chakma Autonomous District Council is Kamalanagar, which means the land of oranges in Chakma language. It is parted into Kamalanagar -1,2,3 & 4. There is only one college in CADC called as Kamalanagar College located at Kamalanagar-2 (Randokpur). Kamalanagar is located on the north-eastern corner of C.A.D.C and on the bank of Tuichawng river. On the east of Kamalanagar town i.e. on the other bank of Toizong (Tuichawng) there stands two Mizo villages known as Chawngte P and Chawngte L. On the eastern bank of Toizong is divided by the rivulet, Chawngte L (Ponsury as called by the Chakmas) the northern bank falling under Lunglei General district and the southern bank Chawngte P, under Lai autonomous District Council.
The Chakma district falls between 21⁰58’ (N) and 22⁰45’ (N) and between 92⁰30’ (E) and 92⁰45’ (E). The tropic of cancer passes over it and its climate is hot and humid. The gentle foothills of the mighty Himalayas adorn its landscape. The two main rivers – Toijong and Thega – weave along the eastern and the western sides respectively forming its natural boundaries. In the north it is bounded by Lunglei District, Myanmar in the South, LADC in the east and Bangladesh in the west.
Economy Majority of the Chakmas in Mizoram take up farming as their occupation. This occupation is inherited from their ancestors. They mainly grow rice, vegetables and fruits, etc. Rice is considered as the staple food of the Chakmas living in Chakma Autonomous District Council.
Demographics
The total Chakma population of Mizoram is estimated to be more than 100,000 (as per the 2011 census - 96,972). The population of Chakma Autonomous District Council are primarily Chakmas who are a designated Schedule Tribe. The total population of CADC is 45,307 as per 2011 census out of which 70% of it is dependent on agriculture. The population grew from 34,528 in 2001"Chakma Autonomous District Council" Agriculture Department, Mizoram State Annual Plan 2003-2004 page 284, last accessed 23 December 2010 to 40,265 (as of 2008). The majority of the people of Chakma Autonomous District Council follow Theravada Buddhism. The majority of the people of Chakma Autonomous District Council follow Theravada Buddhism.
Elections Elections of CADC of 20 constituencies takes place every 5 years.
Current Composition The composition of CADC is as follows: PartyMemberslast electioncurrent+/−•BJP5137ZPM077MNF817INC606Independent00Total: 20 MembersA dot means: participating in the demissionary CADC government. Previous Compositions 2018–2023 5 8 7 BJP MNF INC 2013–2018 3 17 MNF INC Structure Chakma Autonomous District Council has a total of 24 Members of District Council (MDC), out of which 20 MDCs are elected and 4 MDCs are nominated. The council is led by a Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Executive Members (EMs). The present CEM is Nirupam Chakma. Administrative
MDC Constituencies There are 20 MDC Constituencies in the Chakma Autonomous District Council. 20 Members of the District Council are elected from these 20 constituencies and 4 MDCs are nominated. The constituencies as on date are +Serial No.Name of the ConstituencyVillagesCreated1Borapansury – IBorunasury1972Borapansury - IKurbalobasora2Borapansury – IIBarapansury – II1972SilsuryTungasoraUgalsury3ChotopansuryChotapansury1972GerakuluksoraGulsingbapsoraNagdrasoraSangrasury4BajeisoraBaganpara1972BajeisoraMontolaNgharumOld BajeisoraUgudasury (N)5Kamalanagar (N)Kamalanagar – I2013Kamalanagar – IIUgudasury (N)6Kamalanagar (S)Kamalanagar-III20137Kamalanagar (W)Kamalanagar – IV2013Rajmondal – IISaizawh (W)8UdalthanaBormon1972NolbonyaUdalthana – Iudalthana – II9Ugudasury (S)Bankawn1972JarulsuryUgudasury (S)10MandisoraAdubangasora1972MondirasoraSerlui (Jamersury)Ulusury11AjasoraAjasora – I1972Ajasora – IIAjasora – IIIBorkolok12MainabapsoraBarakabakali1972BortuliKukurduleyaMainabapsora – IMainabapsora – IIPelyabapsora13VaseitlangCharluitlang1972Devasora (N)SaminisoraVaseitlang – IVaseitlang – II14LongpuighatBetbonya1972GolasuryLongpuighatSemeisury15RengkashyaFutsury1972LokkisuryRengkashya16New JagnasuryChotoguisury – I 1972Chotoguisury – IIDamdep – IDursoraFulsoraPablakhaliSilbhanga17JaruldobasoraGersury1972JaruldobasoraLudisora18FultuliBaraiguisury1972BilosoraFultuliNew FultuliSamuksoraSilosora19Devasora (S)Devasora (S)1972KamtuliParva – III20ParvaBundukbanga1972GabasuryParva – IParva – IISiminasora
Departments It has a total of 32 No. of departments and they are as follows: Legislative Department Judicial Department Finance Department General Administration Department Agriculture Department Horticulture Department Fishery Department Public Health Engineering Department Industry Department Sericulture Department AH & Vety Department Art & Culture Department Social Welfare Department Soil & Water Conservation Department Local Administrative Department Environment & Forest Department Road Transport Department Sport & Youth Department Co-operative Department Public Works Department Education Department Rural Development Department Water ways Department Information & Public Relation Department District School Education Board Land Revenue & Settlement Planning & Development Department
Number of village councils CADC have 83 villages.
Adhubangasora Ajasora - I Ajasora - II Ajasora - III Baganpara Borunasury Bajeisora Bandukbanga Betbonia Bilosora Boraguisury Borakabakhali Borapansury - I Borapansury - II Borkolok Boroituli Bottuli Charluitlang Chhotaguisury - I Chhotaguisury - II Chhotapansury Devasora 'N' Devasora 'S' Dursora Fulsora Fultuli Futsury Geraguluksora Gerasury Gobasury Golasury Gulsingbapsora Jamersury Jaruldobasora Jarulsury Kamalanagar - I Kamalanagar - II Kamalanagar - III Kamalanagar - IV Kamtuli Kukurduleya Kurbalavasora Lokhisury Longpuighat Ludisora Mandirasora Maniabapsora - I Maniabapsora - II Montola Nadarasora Nalbania New Chhippui New Jagnasury - I New Jagnasury - II Old Bajeisora Parva - I Parva - II Parva - III Rajmandal Rengashya Silosora Silsury Simeisury Siminesora Udalthanasora - I Udalthanasora - II Ugalsury Ugudasory 'S' UgudasurY 'N' Ulusury Vaseitlang - I Vaseitlang - II W.Saizawh
Legislative Chief executives The chief executive member exercises all its executive powers in the name of the executive committee of the District Council. The chief executive chairs meetings of the executive committee of the Chakma Autonomous District Council.
+ List of chief executive members of CADC since 1972 Portrait Prime Minister Term of office Party Start End Duration 1973 1973 Whig 1972 1973 Whig
S. No. Portrait Name Term start Term end 1 Atul Chandra Chakma 2 April 1972 22 January 1973 2 Nilo Muni Chakma 23 January 1973 16 December 1973 3 Sneha Kumar Chakma 17 December 1973 1 May 1976 4 Nilo Muni Chakma 15 March 1978 23 January 1983 5 Ramoni Chakma 27 January 1973 20 April 1983 6 Pulin Bayan Chakma 21 April 1983 2 January 1987 7 Nutan Kumar Chakma 3 January 1987 23 January 1988 8 Pulin Bayan Chakma 29 January 1988 23 January 1993 9 Pulin Bayan Chakma 24 January 1993 19 July 1994 10 Adi Kanta Tongchongya 20 July 1994 21 January 1998 11 Pulin Bayan Chakma 22 January 1998 12 December 1999 12 Rasik Mohan Chakma 14 December 1999 18 February 2003 13 Rasik Mohan Chakma 26 February 2003 20 February 2008 14 Kali Kumar Tongchangya 11 March 2008 23 April 2013 15 Dr. Buddha Dhan Chakma 25 April 2013 7 January 2014 16 Buddha Lila Chakma 20 January 2014 25 September 2015 17 Kali Kumar Tongchongya 29 September 2015 3 July 2017 18 Governor's Rule 4 July 2017 2 November 2017 19 Amit Kumar Chakma 3 November 2017 21 March 2018 20 Governor's Rule 22 March 2018 1 May 2018 21 Shanti Jiban Chakma 2 May 2018 15 January 2019 22 Rasik Mohan Chakma 18 January 2019 5 April 2021 23 Durjya Dhan Chakma 5 April 2021 3 October 2021 24 Rasik Mohan Chakma 9 October 2021 2 June 2022 25 Buddha Lila Chakma 3 June 202216 November 202226Governor's Rule17 November 202221 May 202326Rasik Mohan Chakma22 May 202323 December 202427Molin Kumar Chakms23 December 20246 July 202528Governor's Rule7 July 20252 July 202629Nirupam Chakma3 July 2026Incumbent
Politics Of the 20 elected District Council Members- MNF (1), BJP (13).