No stopping eviction, anti-graft drives, warns CM

‘NRC to be made absolutely error-free, Indo-Bangla border in Assam sector to be sealed’

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 2: Issuing a stern warning, Assam Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal on Thursday said the campaign against corruption and drive against illegal encroachers will continue, and the State government will make no compromises on these two issues.

In his reply to the debate on the Governor’s address in the Assembly, Sonowal said, “Our drive against corruption will continue – from CM’s office to panchayat office, from Chief Secretary’s office to BDO’s office and from DGP’s office to police outposts. All will be freed of corruption,” adding, “In all ongoing probes by investigating agencies, anomalies have been found in every file they have opened. No rules and regulations were earlier followed in regard to implementation of various schemes.”

Sonowal asserted that to make the concept of good governce a reality, corruption must end. “A sweeper’s work and the work of a chief minister is the same. Both of them clean up society,” he quipped.

On the eviction drive started by the State government against illegal encroachment, the Chief Minister said, “If we don’t continue with our eviction drive, the law-breakers will be encouraged. Encroachment of government land is illegal and all should realize it, including the encroachers. On this issue, we need cooperation from the Opposition as well as the people of the State,” adding, “As for the eviction drive conducted in Kaziranga, the order for which was issued by the Gauhati High Court during the Congress government’s tenure — the previous government didn’t file any petition against it in High Court.”

The Chief Minister however made it clear that all evicted Indian citizens will be provided rehabilitation and compensation, as the main motto of the government is ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’. “We will protect mati and bheti of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains and people from other religious communities living in the State,” said the Chief Minister.

On the NRC update issue, Sonowal said all care is being taken so that no me of any illegal tiol gets included in the NRC and no me of any single Indian citizens gets left out. “The NRC will be a constitutiol document and that’s why we are re-verifying everything before it is filly made. Our focus is to make the NRC error-free, not its timeframe.”

Sonowal also informed the House that Indo-Bangla border in Assam sector will be completely sealed. On the tax collection issue, he said that tax collection has increased by 17 per cent in the State in the last eight months.

The Chief Minister further stated that Assam will open an Act East department to look into the implementation of the Central government’s Act East policy.

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