Guwahati: The Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, on Sunday expressed outrage at the alleged that comments by BJP national president Amit Shah against the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Claiming that the BJP had started revealing its ‘true colors’ now, Saikia expressed his surprise that Shah had felt no qualms or shame about terming Gandhiji as a “chatur baniya.” Saikia alleged that Shah had begun by verbally and punitively targeting Opposition Leaders and non-compliant media houses like NDTV and he had now taken the RSS agenda even lower by using disparaging and nastiest words against the person who spearheaded the freedom movement while members of the Sangh Parivar were colluding with the British regime. The Congress leader appealed to the people of India in general and Assam in particular to ‘reject the BJP’s efforts to distort history and malign revered freedom fighters’. (UNI)
Sonowal, Oram discuss development of ST people
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday discussed several issues on development of scheduled tribe people of the state with Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram here. During the meeting, Sonowal and Oram discussed welfare schemes for the ST and people belonging to 6th scheduled area as well as other tribal areas, an official release said. The two talked on Ekalavya Model Residential School for tribal students. Construction of two such schools was on the verge of completion, the chief minister said. Sonowal urged Oram to set up another Ekalavya School in the Mising dominated area of Majuli district. Altogether four Ekalavya Residential Schools to be set up in Assam and the Central government would spend Rs 42,000 for every student every year in these schools, Oram said. Sonowal and the Union minister also discussed implementation of Forest Rights Act which enables a tribal family living in the designated forest area for three generations own patta of that land, the release said. Sonowal said that the state government would submit a proposal to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs regarding a plan for the development of three autonomous councils under 6th schedule and other six autonomous councils in the state. (PTI)
IOC committed to increasing LPG coverage in Arunachal
Itanagar: Indian Oil Corporation is committed to increase its LPG covereage in Arunachal Pradesh from 65 per cent now to 90 per cent soon, a senior company official said on Saturday. IOC NE region chief area sales manager Saurabh Chaliha said that the state presently has total 42 LPG distributors and 14 more would be opened soon. Chaliha, who is here in connection with the launching of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on Monday, said Arunachal Pradesh has been at the top of the company’s priority and would be the fourth in the NE to launch the central programme. “PMUY aims at providing LPG connections to the women of BPL households with a target to offer 5 crore connections during three years,” he said.. Under the Yojana Rs 1,000 given as loan to be recovered from cylinder cost has been adopted from the Chattishgarh model and IOC has moved Assam government to adopt it for the welfare of the masses, Chaliha added. He said IOC data showed that 13-14 per cent LPG connection in Arunachal Pradesh had been surrendered within a year, which was a national record as the figure for the rest of the country was about 8.4 per cent. (PTI)