Letters to THE EDITOR: Assam’s development: A reality check

Assam’s development: A reality check

According to the Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024–25 released by the Reserve Bank of India, the real state of affairs in Assam paints a rather grim picture, one that is difficult to brush aside. Ranked as the fourth poorest among 37 states and union territories, with 19.35% of its population below the poverty line, the state continues to lag behind on several crucial fronts. Its life expectancy falls short of the national average, while poor performance in maternal and child health further drags it down. Economically, Assam struggles to keep up, with a modest per capita income of Rs 85,988 and a weak industrial base—only 6,049 factories are up and running compared to nearly 30,000 in states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Inadequate irrigation and low agricultural output continue to hold the sector back, while rising inflation and increasing costs of essentials like electricity and LPG are adding fuel to the fire. Meanwhile, a mounting public debt of Rs 1,77,983.2 crore and a modest sustainable development score of 65 only pile on the pressure. Taken together, these figures lay bare a reality that stands in stark contrast to the claims of all-round development often rolled out by the government under Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Dipen Gogoi,

Teok, Jorhat

Unfair charges

I have been a regular tax-paying citizen of GMC, Ward No. 31, since its inception, and I have never been a defaulter. Before the inception of JICA, it was Guwahati Municipal Corporation that supplied water to my premise, and the water tax was included in the GMC property tax structure. After the JICA connection was provided to me, surprisingly, the GMC property tax structure still continues to charge the same amount for water supply in its monthly bill even though it has stopped the supply of potable water since November 2025. It is simply unfair, and I request the present GMC authority to look into this matter earnestly. It's a request to GMC authorities to give justice to the poor taxpayers.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Catch the rain and save the future

Your recent most timely editorial, 'Catch the rain', has reminded us of the Jal Shakti Abhiyaan's most popular slogan: 'Catch the rain where it falls and when it falls', as it has assumed great relevance, especially during this monsoon. In fact, CTR has become an annual feature since 2021, launched by the PM Narendra Modi. It aims, with the theme 'Nari shakti se jal Shakti', to drive nationwide awareness and action for water conservation for making the vision of 'every drop counts' a reality. The campaign encourages every household, school, office and community to install systems that collect and store rainwater. It covers all the blocks of rural and urban districts across the country. The collection of rainwater leads to better irrigation. If rooftops of houses and apartments are designed with water filtration, this will make the rainwater harvesting meaningful both for irrigation in the field and drinking and washing purposes in the households. It is high time for us to get inspired with the spirit of the slogan and act accordingly, both individually and collectively, whatever it is, without further delay. If we succeed in capturing at least 10 per cent of the city's rainwater and store it during the current monsoon season, we can definitely mitigate the impact of urban flooding to a great extent. One ought not to forget the fact that rainwater harvesting promotes not only self-sufficiency but also fosters an appreciation for water as a resource among us. The sooner we realise its importance, the better it is for our future existence.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

A democracy that sidelines half its population cannot claim to be fully representative no matter how often it celebrates its electoral strength. For decades, women in India have been expected to participate as voters, campaigners and silent supporters but rarely as equal decision-makers. That imbalance is not accidental; it's the product of deep-rooted structural barriers that polite political rhetoric has long ignored. The push for guaranteed representation is, therefore, not about charity or symbolism; it's about power. It forces the system to confront its exclusivity. Those who argue that leadership should be purely merit-based conveniently overlook how “merit” has historically been shaped by privileges, access, and networks that women have been denied. You cannot compete fairly in a race where the starting lines are unequal. At the same time, passing a reform is the easiest part; implementing it with sincerity is where political will is truly tested. Delays, technicalities and procedural excuses often become tools to dilute transformative change. If representation is treated as a future promise rather than an immediate priority, it risks becoming another well-worded commitment that fails to alter ground realities. Real empowerment goes beyond numbers. It changes conversations, shifts policy priorities and challenges entrenched attitudes. When more women enter decision-making spaces, governance tends to become more inclusive, more attentive to social infrastructure and more reflective of everyday realities that are often overlooked. India stands at a point where it must decide whether it wants to merely talk about empowerment or actually redistribute power. Anything less than full and timely implementation will expose a gap between intention and action. A nation aspiring for global leadership cannot afford to keep its women at the margins of political authority; the cost of that exclusion is simply too high.

Aditya Kamble,

(adiikamble16@gmail.com)

The US does a volte-face

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered his envoys not to travel to Pakistan to continue talks with Iranian officials on ending the war. The decision came as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up a visit to Islamabad. Iranian state media later reported that Mr Araghchi had left Islamabad. It said Islamabad would serve as a bridge to “convey” Iranian proposals. Too much time wasted on travelling, too much work. Besides, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their leadership. Since the last round of talks, efforts to bring the two sides back to the table have hit an impasse, with Iran refusing to participate as long as a U.S. naval blockade remains in place. Iran has imposed a de facto blockade of its own on the Strait of Hormuz, allowing only a trickle of ships to pass through the waterway, throwing global energy markets into turmoil. An Iranian spokesman said Mr Araghchi would travel to Oman and Russia to discuss efforts to end the war, which was launched against Iran by Israel and the U.S. on February 28. Iran’s military, meanwhile, remained defiant.

Dorai Ramani Suresh

(dorairamanisuresh@gmail.com)