Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: It was the performance of the BJP-led NDA government in the past five years that led the people of the state to give the BJP a massive mandate in the last State Assembly election. Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the next five years will mark a golden period of development.
Taking part in the debate on the budget in the assembly today, the chief minister said, "The massive mandate we received is for continuity, not for any change. Thus, we will work with doubled dedication. The current pace of development in Assam is not possible without blessings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. It was unimaginable and financially unfeasible for a state like Assam to undertake projects such as an underground tunnel, the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, a semiconductor project, the Ring Road Project, and multiple bridges over the Brahmaputra."
The chief minister said, "Some people only focus on what Assam lacks. They never acknowledge the numerous developmental activities that have occurred in the state over the past ten years. It's a matter of mindset. A person can gauge the development if he compares the present Guwahati with the Guwahati of ten years ago. There is yet another section that is out to put hurdles in the development of Assam. However, we dare every hurdle. We won't compromise with those who put hurdles in the development of the state. Our development journey will overcome all obstacles."
The chief minister said, "All and sundry in the state, including the opposition parties, should know that a congenial atmosphere is a must for the development of the state and investment. The government will spend around Rs 2 lakh crore on the development of connectivity in the coming five years. Post-Advantage Assam 2.0, investments worth around Rs 3 lakh crore are under process in the state. I hope that, in the coming five years, we can bring in investments worth Rs 5-10 lakh crore. However, such an investment needs a calm and peaceful atmosphere. A state can grow economically only when it can woo investors."
The chief minister said, "In 2015, the percentage of poverty in the state was 32.67 per cent. Now, it has come down to 14.47 per cent, and our target is to bring it down to 5 per cent in the next five years. The DBT (direct beneficiary transfer) echosystem, mainly the Orunodoi Scheme, plays an important role in poverty alleviation."
The chief minister appealed to all MLAs to make the people of their constituencies self-reliant by producing meat, eggs, milk, fish, etc., within their constituencies and by involving the youth. "LAC self-reliance is a must to make Assam a self-reliant state," he said.
The chief minister said, "The Nijut Moina Scheme served three purposes. It reduced child marriages, controlled birth rates and helped empower women. Around 2.70 lakh female college students benefited in the first phase, 3.50 lakh in the second phase, and 4.50 lakh in the third phase."
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