Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has reiterated his government’s commitment to push forward the development agenda to continue and bolster the state’s journey on a robust growth trajectory in spite of Centre’s reduced allocation of fund for the state.
Gogoi said, “Irrespective of the Centre’s indifferent attitude towards Assam and its people and reduction of developmental funds, the State Government to purse welfare schemes along with its development agenda rigorously.”
Gogoi further said that though change in funding pattern and the resultant reduction in fund flow has had an impact on the development of the State, the Government is devising a mechanism to generate its independent sources of revenue.
Gogoi, moreover, informed that had the Centre not withheld around Rs 17 thousand crore dues of oil royalty and other developmental funds meant for Assam, the State Government could have pursued its development agenda more vigorously. Stating the Centre’s cut in fund allocation for rural infrastructure for IAY scheme and MGNREGA, Gogoi said, “Such fund cut is an anti-thesis to rural development and indicates NDA Government’s anti-poor and pro-capitalists stance”.
Gogoi said that in spite of Centre’s indifferent attitude, the state government has made giant leaps and moved to seventh position from 19th in composite development which was aptly clear from India
Today’s State of the States survey-2015. With its simple mantra for development, Assam has ranked first position in infrastructure and has registered 17 per cent increase in the length of pucca roads as against the national growth average which is only 4 per cent (India Today survey). “Overcoming all hurdles we have successfully pursued policies for the improvement in macro economy and infrastructure and as a result we are receiving dividends”, Gogoi added.
