Guwahati: The Assam Congress on Sunday accused the Narendra Modi government of doing nothing to solve the state’s perennial flood problem, and destroying its economy. Addressing a press conference here, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora alleged that the BJP-led central government did not announce a single new project for the state in the last five years.
“What has Modi done to solve the flood problem of Assam? You (BJP government) only organised ‘Namami Brahmaputra’ and ‘Namami Barak’ by bringing the priests from Haridwar. Is that all for the flood problem?” the Rajya Sabha member asked. On the industrial front, the senior Congress leader said the prime minister “stripped” Assam of the ‘special status’ tag. “It is a big blow to the economic development of Assam. There was a distinct industrial policy of Assam, but that was withdrawn,” he said.
Bora also said that the Centre abolished the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP) 2007, which has affected the economy of the state to a large extent.
“Not a single new project was announced by Modi in the last five years. Assam has totally been neglected by the BJP-led central government. Modi’s schemes are only to help the capitalists, but not the poor,” Bora alleged.
He pointed out that the foundation stone of the Jorhat-Majuli bridge over the Brahmaputra was laid three years ago, but not even the DPR has yet been prepared.
Bora slammed the BJP leaders for criticising the minimum income guarantee scheme, ‘NYAY’, announced by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and said the UPA had introduced “revolutionary pro-people projects” like the MGNREGA and the National Food Security Act.
The state Congress chief said Modi had said that all illegal Bangladeshis would have to leave the state by May 16, 2014. “What happened? On the other hand, he tried to bring in more Bangladeshis through the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.” He also criticised Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for not implementing the minimum wage of Rs 350 for tea garden workers.
“The Congress government had given Rs 400 crore to incentivise the tea industry, but the BJP government has done nothing in this regard. No grant has been released to Toklai Tea Research Centre in last few years and it is almost dead,” he added. (PTI)
