Ajay Bhardwaj
Ever since the BJP government took over in Assam in May last year the state has been on a different trajectory. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has powered the state engine making big strides in development and in coping with age-old problems of illegal immigration and border infiltration. Setting his aim at making Assam foreigners’ free, extremists’ free, corruption free and pollution free the chief minister has his task clearly cut-out for himself.
In a free-wheeling interview the chief minister elaborates how acting on prime minister Narendra Modi’s idiom of “Act East”, he aspires to make Assam Gateway of “Ashtalaxmi” states, the new term in vogue for the North-East states.
Excerpts
It has been over a year as a chief minister for you. What do you think has been your most significant achievement?
Tiding over corruption has been, perhaps, the most outstanding task that my government has done. At the very first Cabinet meeting after I took over in May last year we decided to unleash a serious crackdown on corruption that has been rampant in the state for the last many many years. First of all, we disbanded gangs which used to operate illegally on roadsides to collect money. Then we identified corrupt officials and put 56 of them behind the bars. The process of identifying more black sheep in the government is still on.
We also nailed down the Assam Public Service Commission which has been a fountainhead of corruption in the selection of government staff. It was cash for job policy being followed for many years. We have dismantled it all and put the chairman of the commission and two of its members in prison.
The second important thing that we have done is to bring about good governance. Officials have been told to perform professionally without brooking political interference. From top to bottom in all streams of government, officials have been directed not to entertain political interference and work honestly upholding their integrity.
One of the positive outcomes of the anti-corruption campaign has been that Assam witnessed 21.6 per cent increase in revenue collection this year which is an all-time record.
How are you coping with the grave flood situation in the state?
The flood situation is very grim this time. Twenty nine of the 32 districts in the state are caught in floods with more than 17 lakh people getting affected. There has been 62 deaths as well.
So looking at the situation we have geared up officials to undertake rescue operations on a large scale. I held a meeting of all deputy commissioners and health department officials to ensure that medical facilities are provided to the marooned people. Special training has been imparted to nurses for the purpose.Efforts are also being made to save animals.
The State administration has set up 1,098 relief camps and distribution centres to make sure that food articles are available to all affected people.
But what are the long-term plans to check recurrence of floods in the state ?
We are preparing a blueprint for that. I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday and requested him to launch ‘Prime Minister’s Special Programme for Flood and Erosion Control’ for developing road-cum-embankments stretching 5,000 km. Most of the existing embankments in the State constructed way back in 1950s are vulnerable to breach due to perennial floods and river bank erosion. If these embankments are developed as road- cum-embankments, it will ensure their regular maintenance and sustainability. I have pleaded for an exclusive programme under the Prime Minister’s supervision to check recurrence of floods and erosion.
I have also requested the Prime Minister to constite a high level inter-ministerial team headed by a Cabinet Minister to study the impact of floods and erosion and suggest permanent measures for mitigating the problem.
Assam has a nagging problem of illegal immigrants which has struck deep roots in the state. How do you intend to deal with it ?
The process of National Registration of Indian citizens (NRC) has been undertaken under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Once that is completed the government would ensure eviction of the illegal immigrants in the state. We are following it with all sincerity. In fact, as soon as I took oath of office last year my first visit was to the NRC office to see for myself how the work was progressing and I have been closely monitoring it since then.
We are also framing a new population policy to safeguard the interests of the local people and would make sure illegal immigrants are evicted as soon as possible.
What is the cut-off year for the purpose ?
Any citizen who had his name in the 1951 list of national registration or in the electoral roll up to 1971 would be entitled to qualify to register himself as a citizen.
Assam : PPFA for 1951 as cut-off year
What steps are being taken to check illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis in Assam ?
This is a very important task for the government because if we do not check the border there are chances of terrorists entering the state and smuggling of arms taking place. We have evolved a two-pronged strategy for this. One is to install fencing along the border to check free flow of people. Second, I have instructed MLAs and senior officials to make frequent visits to the border to see things for themselves and to involve the local people in helping the government curb infiltrations. Without the help of locals this task cannot be achieved. After all it is a 270 kms long border with Bangladesh and we cannot just depend on the BSF and the CRPF. We had a very serious problem of infiltration in the past, so we cannot take it easy any more.
What are the developmental schems your government has undertaken ?
We have taken number of new initiatives in the state. Under the Atal Amrit Abhiyan we have identified BPL families whose members would be entitled to financial assistance upto Rs two lakh for any of the six serious ailments identified by the government. The government has provided facility of free diagnostic tests for the BPL patients in all the district hospitals. Under this scheme 56 medical tests have been idenfied for the poor patients.
In addition, more than five lakh students have been provided with free books in schools. The government would also provide free books to students in the flood-affected areas as well. The government has also started the chief minister”s Samagrah Gram Unnat Yojna under which 26,000 villages would be provided Rs 1,20 crores each for an all-round development which would include setting up of knowledge centres for the youth and ensuring that farmers” income also increased as has been announced by prime minister Narendra Modi.
More importantly, the state government has undertaken a novel scheme under which 25,000 villages would be provided with a tractor each for carrying out sundry jobs in a village. For example, for drawing water, or for transporting things, or for whatever the villagers deem it fit for.
In order to improve the ecology in the state the government has decided to plant 10 crore saplings of fruits, flowers and medicinal plants which would help improve the rural economy and would add to bio-diversity in the state.
What measures you envisage to improve the agriculture scene in the state ?
We aim to make Assam “organic half” under which organic sector would be promoted without disturbing the ecology of the state. Our effort would be to double the income of farmers in the next few years. We would also safeguard the interests of more than 10 lakh tea garden workers who form core of the rural economy.
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