From a Correspondent
Tezpur, Dec 31: Having experienced loads of ups and downs in 2016, the common people here are anticipating that the New Year will usher in a welcome transform. While interacting with this correspondent at the advent of 2017, noted artistes, academicians, litterateurs, social workers and sport persolities emphasized that the good things that happened in the previous year should be treasured.
Sahitya Akadami award recipient Geeta Upaidhyai was overwhelmed in 2016 as she never expected to receive such a prestigious award. Expressing her grave concern over the ongoing conflict over the secretary general of Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX) Paramada Rajbangshi, Geeta Upaidhyai said that it was very unfortute that in a sacred platform like AXX such incidents should not have taken place. “Particularly, during the time of the centery year celebration this issue has disillusioned the literature-loving people. There are many people fit for the post of the secretary selecting whom the issue could be mitigated,” she added. Speaking on the changes witnessed during 2016, she further said that an act like demonetization was a good step for making a corruption-free tion. ”However, for giving a totality towards this endeavor positive involvement from all concerned is a must.”
An eminent persolity and renowned Assamese cine actor, Arun th, while expressing his views regarding the bygone year, said that change was always inevitable and accordingly he hadseen many changes in the cultural world, including Assamese film industry. “But noticeable change is yet to be experienced.” Welcoming the demonetization policy, he said that there was no other option to make the country free from corruption.
Registrar, Tezpur University, Dr. Biren Das, said that being in the academic sphere, he had seen the year 2016 as a good one for the State of Assam. By and large, the academia had taken a momentum without any hurdle. “The new government in the State has declared a good number of welfare schemes for students and academic institutions and initiated reforms in the sector targeting overhauling the State’s education sector. Results of HSLC and higher secondary fil examitions have shown upward trend with remarkable performances by the vercular medium institutions. Earlier, hardly any college or university could secure good grading in AC assessment; but this year a good number of colleges have been accredited with A or higher grades. I hope other institutions of Higher Education in the State will be inspired by this example,” he said, adding that creating history, Tezpur University was able to get the Visitor’s Best University Award-2016 among the 44 Central Universities in the country.
Deputy Commissioner of Sonitpur, Manuj Kumar Deka said 2016 was good for the State as the people had got a new government after which the work culture had developed among the people. “Though the demonetization in the beginning created some problems for the people, it has now come to the streamline,” he said and added that 2017 would definitely carry better opportunities, harmony, and peace among the people.
Renowned actress and Bishnu Rabha Award winner, Krish Das th said that audience was the soul of cinema world. “But it is necessary to meet the taste of the audience by presenting good cinema. We hope the year 2017 will help the people involved with the Assamese cinema world to put everything into place,” she said.
Hemanta Baruah, noted litterateur, mentioned that he always expected a better tomorrow. Speaking about the changes he has witnessed during 2016, Baruah also said that according to the wishes of the common masses the State got a new government. “But I think the government will need few days more for delivering good governce,” he said and added that demonetization was a good step for taking forward the tion, but the cashless system of transaction was too early to be introduced in a State like Assam where 80 per cent people were yet to get accustomed to the digitized world.
Noted teacher Manmayuri Goswami, sharing her views, said that the year 2016, despite certain pitfalls, had seen some significant moments with the surgical strike, demonetization and GST topping the list. About the pitfall, in Assam a major issue had been ubated poaching of the one-horned rhino. Although the government had issued stringent action against poachers, altogether 18 rhinoceros were killed this year. This needs to be checked,” she said. As far as the New Year was concerned, she welcomed it with certain expectation. “We hope it will keep up the good works of 2016 with some welfare and pro-poor schemes that can bring in a surge in social spending expenditure,” she said.
Mridul Chutia, noted writer, director and actor, said that the government was yet to deal properly with the folk culture of the State. “I hope the government will work in this field in the days to come, giving a new dimension. At present, the policy with regard to cinema has been amended by the government which has made more and more producers come forward. I hope in the new year people involved in the cultural field will give a concerted effort to provide a new dymism to the new generation,” he said.
Dr Atul Kalita, secretary of Indian Medical Association, said that policy like demonetization was a welcome step which would be helpful to carry forward a corruption-free tion. “Moreover I am hopeful that the New Year will bring more changes in the health sector to provide good healthcare services to the people,” he said.
Noted sports persolity and the Director of Sports, Tezpur University, Pankaj Bora hoped that in the days to come, promising sportspersons of the State would get the requisite exposure.
Vinod Bagaria, a noted social worker, said that demonetization was a good step by the government. “The new step definitely helps to eradicate corruption from the society. The coming year will hopefully bring an atmosphere of peace and development in public domain,” he opined.
Bhuyashi Talukdar, a rank holder in last year’s HS (Commerce) from Darrang College, said that 2016 can be mentioned in the pages of history for a series of revolutiory events that took place. However, expressing concern over the shortfalls in the State education system, she opined that issues like question paper leakage and destruction of answer scripts would be prevented in the year 2017, thus restoring the dignity of the education system of the State.
Yoga teacher, gendra Jain said that yoga was definitely a great step for mankind. But the country needed to set up a centre like ISRO, ICMR ETC with all modern technologies to promote scientific research in the field of yoga. “Already a lot of research is taking place in the field of yoga but we need to take a step forward with path-breaking research. It is hoped that the government will give attention to yoga in the coming year to keep the people free from all afflictions,” he said.