New districts in limbo with nil infrastructure

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 9: The previous Congress government in Assam was swift in notifying as many as seven districts - East Kamrup, South Kamrup, Charaideo, West Karbi Anglong, Biswath, South Salamara-Mankachar and Hojai - just on the eve of the assembly elections.

However, the government is yet to create the deputy commissioners' post in these new districts. The result - the officers posted as DCs of these new districts have not received their salaries since the time they have been posted.

However, those DCs who are attached to posts in other districts are drawing their salaries.

The file - to create the posts - is stuck in a query-reply exercise between the Personnel and Fince department.

The DCs of these newly created seven districts have only two peons and two other staff at their disposal. Some are operating from the office of the SDO while others are doing so from circle offices.

The subdivisions which have been upgraded to districts do have some infrastructure in place to become full-fledged districts, but that too is not enough, sources said. So the condition of East Kamrup district, which was never a subdivision, is well imagible.

The previous government had gone ahead with the move to create new districts despite a couple of committees suggesting that the State does not require any more districts.

While it is alleged that the Congress government had created the districts for political mileage, the new BJP-led dispensation at Dispur is not showing much interest in putting things in order in the new districts - though it has announced yet another new district - Majuli.