Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi says Act East Policy Brightening up Development Prospect in North East

Our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, July 19: Praising the Act East Policy of the Narendra Modi-led Union Government, Governor of Assam Jagdish Mukhi said this policy had brightened up the prospect of development in the north-eastern region and hoped that the region would not lag behind after this policy was adopted. Governor Mukhi, while interacting with media persons at Kokrajhar at Circuit House on Wednesday evening, said the Act East Policy would benefit the north-eastern States with inclusiveness of development in various sectors. He said that development had taken place in the region in a swift manner and the region had witnessed better and improved railway and air connectivity, development of roads and other infrastructure, which otherwise had been neglected over the years by previous governments. He hailed the Narendra Modi-led government for changing the scenario in the region.

“Most of the rural villages are not connected with electricity even after 70 years of Independence but the BJP-led NDA government has taken up bold initiatives to electrify every village of the country by the end of 2018,” he said, adding that the north-eastern region had been neglected in every sphere but the NDA government had turned things around. On the NRC update process, he said the State Coordinator of NRC had taken fool-proof measures for correct update of the NRC. No foreign nationals would be included and at the same time, names of indigenous people would not be left out. He added that the State government had already instructed the district administration in all districts to take precautionary measures to thwart any attempt to create turmoil after publication of the final draft of NRC on July 31.

On the difference of ideology between the Brahmaputra Valley and the Barak Valley over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, he said the Government of India would find out an acceptable solution after publication of final draft of NRC. On the fresh arrest of 19 officers in the cash-for-job scam in the State, Governor Mukhi said the Sarbananda Sonowal-led State Government had shown its zero tolerance to corruption.

Replying to questions, the Governor said he was satisfied with the implementation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Mission in Kokrajhar. He praised the chairman of Kokrajhar Municipal Board, Bishnu Narzary for his relentless efforts to clean Kokrajhar town with Solid and Liquid Resource Management (SLRM) projects. He also asked all department officials to follow his instructions to clean their offices and compound on the seventh day of every month.