Mere visits of ministers won’t usher in development: Gogoi

BY Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 27: Taking a dig at PM rendra Modi’s reference in his weekly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ to frequent visits by Union ministers to the Northeast, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that mere visits will not usher in development for the region if funds are cut or not hiked.

Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said Union ministers merely visiting the State and region frequently will not translate into development, unless more funds are made available for implementation of welfare schemes.

 “Forget about increasing allotment, funds for Assam are being cut by the Centre. The Centre is no longer even paying for implementation of Central schemes, not to mention State government schemes,” he said.

The CM alleged that funds from the NDA government to Assam have decreased compared to UPA II government and said, “The BJP says it supports funds for development for Assam. The Central government assures me that more funds will be given. But nothing is translated into reality. We are yet to receive large parts of funds sanctioned.” Gogoi criticized the BJP MPs from the State for not taking up the funds cut issue with the Central government.

Gogoi further alleged that Union ministers of state from the region Kiren Rijiju and Sarbanda Sonowal, who were present during a NE CMs’ review meet with the Union Home minister here recently, remained silent even when all NE CMs raised the matter of cut in Central government funds to the states under special category state scheme.

 “If BJP MPs and ministers fail to raise the problems of the region, the party’s Central leadership will not understand our problems,” Gogoi added.