Autonomous Councils are constituted for Social, Economic, Educational, Ethnic and Cultural advancement of the ST communities living in Core Areas as well as in Satellite Areas covering many districts of Assam. There are six (6) Autonomous Councils presently-
1. Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council
2. Mising Autonomous Council
3. Tiwa Autonomous Council
4. Deori Autonomous Council
5. Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council
6. Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council
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,(i) Adult Education,(ii) Primary Education,(iii) 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 councils areas.
For the Socio- Economic up-liftmen and sustainable targetted development of different backward communities Govt. of Assam has created 33 Nos. of Development Council 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.Following are communities –
1) Moran Dev. Council
2) Mottok Dev. Council
3) Maimal Dev. Council
4) Moria Dev. Council
5) Gorkha Dev. Council
6) Chutia Dev. Council
7) Adivasi Dev. Council
8) Nath Jogi Dev. Council
9) Koch Rajbongshi Dev. Council
10) Bishnupriya Manipuri Dev. Council
11) Tai Ahom Dev. Council
12) Mech Kachari Dev. Council
13) Manipuri Dev. Council
14) Sadharan Jati Dev. Council
15) Singpho (Man Tai) Dev. Council
16) Amri Karbi Dev. Council
17) Sarania Kachari Dev. Council
18) Barak Valley Hill Tribes Dev. Council
19) Tea & Ex-Tea Garden Dev. 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 Dev. Council were made by separate Gazetted Notification during the month of May and June 2010 and January, 2011, and also during the year 15- 2016 for socio-economic, educational, cultural and ethnic advancement of the people of the community with in the State of Assam.
To regulate the various function/ activities of the Development Councils, Govt. has issued a Guidelines vide notification No.TAD/BC/105/2013/6 dtd. 7.3.2013. 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.