Staff reporter
Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Borah has strongly criticized the Assam Budget, accusing it of neglecting crucial concerns such as the implementation of the Assam Accord, economic stability, and the welfare of tea garden workers.
“This budget does not serve the interests of the people; it is a political ploy aimed at misleading the unemployed, tea garden workers, and indigenous communities,” Borah stated. He particularly condemned the absence of any mention of the Assam Accord in the over-one-hour-long budget speech, accusing the government of backtracking on its promises—especially regarding Clause 6, which guarantees constitutional safeguards for the Assamese people.
Borah also pointed out that the BJP had pledged to grant tribal status to six communities but has taken no concrete action despite being in power for years. “This budget makes it clear that their commitments were mere political rhetoric,” he remarked.
Addressing the plight of tea garden workers, Borah dismissed the government’s allocation of a one-time payment of Rs 5,000 per worker as nothing more than an election strategy. “The government claims to care for tea workers, but the ground reality is different. They continue to struggle with low wages, inadequate healthcare, and poor access to education. How will a one-time payment of Rs 5,000 improve their lives?” he questioned.
He reminded voters that the BJP had promised to increase tea workers’ daily wages to Rs 351, yet this commitment remains unfulfilled. “Tea workers in Udarband, Mariani, Tingkhong, and Dhalai are still suffering. The BJP government has betrayed their trust,” he asserted.
Raising concerns about Assam’s unemployment crisis, Borah cited official figures showing that 36.66 lakh youth in the state are unemployed. He also criticized the government’s announcement of a Rs 2,500 monthly financial aid scheme for unemployed youth, pointing out that it will only be implemented from October 2025.
Borah further highlighted Assam’s rising debt, revealing that the state plans to borrow Rs 36,185 crore this year, pushing total debt to Rs 2,83,590 crore by 2025-26.
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