Self-reliance and Assam

Recently, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, had commented that COVID-19 pandemic has taught the Country a lesson to be self-reliant. Though we live in an interconnected world, hardly anyone would disagree from the viewpoint of serving the national interests and the people of the country. When an adverse situation strikes us, the importance of self-dependence and self-reliance becomes even more pronounced. This is applicable to all places, and especially for a State like Assam.

At present, the State is dependent on imports from other parts of the country even for day-to-day basic needs like fish, eggs, onions, pulses, etc., apart from other essential and nonessential items like medicines, clothes, etc. The State is also dependent on the Centre in the form of grants, and financial aid to run its daily show. The State, almost every year, encounters various natural disasters like floods, etc. However, the State, more specially its people, has hardly done anything to be self-dependent in times of crisis or otherwise.

There was a time, till around the time of independence, that the State’s economy was much better than the national average, and old timers recollect that Assam used to export many items to other parts of the country. However, over the years, the State has become a laggard in the league of the Union of the States. Many factors may be blamed. However, the most significant ones are political leadership, faulty policies and practices of the successive State governments. The State and its people have failed to learn lessons from other States, and seem to be happy being a dependent, and a parasitic State. The current pandemic has given an opportunity to have a re-look at ourselves and re-start ourselves towards a self-dependent State.

A Bhuyan,

Nagaon