STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has extended support to the Assam Government’s recently announced austerity measures aimed at ensuring fiscal prudence amid the prevailing economic situation. Senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia has written to Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma urging the government to adopt a series of additional expenditure-control measures to strengthen the state’s financial stability.
In his letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Saikia stated that such measures had become necessary in view of the current economic realities and the financial pressures on the state. He also observed that several beneficiary-oriented schemes had adversely impacted Assam’s economy.
The Congress leader, however, urged the government to go further by implementing stricter austerity measures across departments and public institutions. Among the major recommendations placed before the Chief Minister were the cancellation of luxury official dinners and catering contracts at the Chief Minister’s residence, a halt to political appointments in public sector undertakings, and suspension of extravagant inauguration and foundation stone ceremonies.
Saikia also proposed a temporary ban on renovation and repair works in ministers’ and legislators’ government residences, restriction on the use of helicopters and chartered flights except during emergencies, and reduction in the size of the state cabinet to lessen the financial burden on the exchequer.
Highlighting concerns over unnecessary government expenditure, he further recommended that official events be organized in government auditoriums, schools, or public venues instead of luxury hotels and private convention centres. He also called for strict limits on spending for decorations, cut-outs, lighting, and publicity materials.
The APCC leader additionally urged the government to stop the distribution of expensive gifts and mementoes at official functions and instead encourages the use of low-cost locally made products, books, or saplings as tokens of appreciation.
Saikia also demanded greater transparency in government spending by making detailed expenditure reports of official events publicly available on departmental websites. He further stressed the need for detailed feasibility studies, public hearings, hydrological assessments, and third-party technical audits before approving and implementing major infrastructure projects.
Citing projects such as the Six Mile and Dighalipukhuri flyovers, Saikia questioned whether several costly infrastructure projects had effectively addressed traffic congestion and urged the government to ensure that future projects remain economically viable and environmentally sustainable.
The Congress leader also raised concerns over frequent cost escalations in government projects and urged the administration to ensure timely completion of projects within approved budgets.
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