Assam CM Announces Rs 1.5 lakh crore Infrastructure Boost
He said the state and Centre, over the next few years, will develop infrastructure and transform Assam into a developed state by 2047
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced a combined investment of Rs 1.5 lakh crore by the state and Centre over the next few years to develop infrastructure and transform Assam into a developed state by 2047.
Pointing out that central government aims at to convert India into a developed nation by 2047 Mr Sarma, in his Independence Day speech at Khanapara in Guwahati, announced a Rs 50,000 crore project by the state government to boost basic infrastructure and facilities in rural and urban areas and transform Assam into a developed state by the same year.
“We have also decided to seek Rs 1 lakh crore from Centre in the next five years to develop our infrastructure. That amount added with the pledge of Rs 50,000 by the state government would mean a total sum of Rs 1.5 lakh crores for the state’s development,” he said.
Recalling drive of his government to end social evil like child marriage in the state the chief minister said that if a government employee abandoned his first wife without obtaining a legal divorce and entered into an informal marriage with another woman, 20 per cent of his salary would be deducted and deposited directly into the first wife’s bank account, provided she applied to the government for the benefit.
The chief minister said that the government would also propose legislation to extend similar protection to women whose husbands in the private sector abandon them without legally divorcing them.
“I interacted with many women whose husbands disowned them. Many were government employees who entered into informal relationships without divorcing their first wives. We have decided that, on the first wife’s complaint, 20 percent of the employee’s salary will be transferred to her so that she can live with dignity,” he said.
Giving details of his government’s drive against child marriage, he said that between 2021 and 2026, a total of 12,196 cases have been registered and 93 persons arrested. He stated that a fresh month-long drive against the malaise would begin on November 1.
He also announced the creation of eight more co-districts in the state, in addition to the 49 such administrative blocks formed earlier. They are Khumtai, Kamalpur, Barhampur, Ronganodi, Sisiborgaon, Chabua-Lahowal, Katigorah and Borkhola. The state government had earlier announced the formation of 78 co-districts in all for administrative convenience.
“In order to protect the lands of our indigenous people we will restrict buying and selling of land in 40 revenue circles of the state to those who have resided in Assam continuously for at least three generations (around 75 years),” he said.
In view of the ongoing census exercise, Mr Sarma appealed to those who have come from other states and settled for generations to list their mother tongue as Assamese during the enumeration process.
“Those from Barak Valley (where Bengali is the dominant language) and people from our indigenous communities and tribes will list their own mother-tongues. But apart from them, I appeal to those who have come from Rajasthan and other places and made Assam their home to list Assamese as their mother tongue,” said Mr Sarma
Commenting on the devastating floods in the state, which have claimed 104 lives and uprooted several thousand people, Mr Sarma stated that money won’t be a constraint in providing permanent rehabilitation to those affected. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centre’s help and lauded the efforts of personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in rescuing many, as well as NGOs, groups and individuals who supported the relief efforts.
