Gogoi pleads for Central help to develop Assam

Assembly session concludes on emotiol note

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Feb 4: On the concluding day of the four-day Assembly session - his last for the third term - Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today mellowed down from his combative mode, making a fervent appeal to the Central government to help develop Assam.

"If Assam has to develop, the Central government will have to help. The economy of the State is stable now. Development is on track, but we need to speed it up," Gogoi, who has been at loggerheads with the NDA regime at the Centre, said during his reply to the debate on the vote on accounts.

Pointing out to the "change" he brought about in the State in the last 15 years, the Chief Minister said, "You can go through the reports of various Central ministries... they will indicate the performance of the State in all sectors."

"The State government will invest for Assam's development, but at the same time we need investment from the private sector as well as assistance from the Centre. It is not possible to develop the State alone," he said.

He said he will again raise the issue of scrapping of Special Category Status at a meeting convened by the Union Fince ministry on February 6. "It will not benefit me. Irrespective of party lines, everyone should support and help restore the Special Category Status," he appealed.

Gogoi claimed that the UN has recognized Assam as the first State in the country to go for sustaible development programmes.

He said the government has created new districts and subdivisions to ensure that the administration goes nearer to the people. Moreover, it will help the towns come up in a planned manner," he said.

Referring to the Opposition criticism over his yarn & blanket scheme, the Chief Minister said, "I have not only distributed yarn and blanket but have also set up IIITs. We have to think about both (sections). There are people who are very poor and they need help."

Meanwhile, the proceedings of the last session of the 13th Assam Assembly concluded on an emotiol note.

"For five years, we were together ...in times of joy and sorrow. We part with hope to meet again in the next session," Congress legislator Ardhendu Dey said.

While MLA Nilamoni Sen Deka recited a self-composed poem on farewell, AGP legislature party leader Phani Bhusan Choudhury was apologetic to the Congress government for being "harsh at times".

"We were harsh on the government at times...but that was for public interest. History says that less than 50 per cent of the legislators are re-elected. I hope that those who do not get elected again, will continue to do social work in their own way," Choudhury said.

Minister Ajanta Neog also wished everyone and said she, as a minister, had tried her best to address the grievances of everyone. "I hope the newly elected MLAs will uphold the dignity of the House," she said.

AGP's Keshav Mahanta hoped that friendship among the legislators will last a lifetime.

Minister Rakibul Hussain said the Opposition had played a construction role in the House, particularly in the last session.