GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that the State government was committed to equal development of Brahmaputra and Barak valleys and several steps have been taken to boost brotherhood amongst the people living in the districts of both the valleys.
Sonowal said this during the discussion on faster socio-economic development of Barak valley as part of Speaker’s initiative at Assam Legislative Assembly.
Chief Minister Sonowal said that steps were taken to build up confidence of the Barak valley people and to explore its vast potential.
He said that as a sequel to Namami Brahmaputra Festival, the State government organized Namami Barak festival covering all the three districts of the valley, which showcased its natural resources, heritage and culture. The initiative also helped the people to discover the rich potential of Barak valley, he added.
Saying that there was a sense of alienation amongst the people of Barak Valley earlier, Sonowal said that people of the entire state must internalise the feelings, aspirations, suffering and pains of the people of the valley to foster better camaraderie and bonhomie. Such an approach would not only strengthen the bond but also act as a catalyst in building a strong and vibrant Assam, he observed.
Underlining the state government initiatives to unleash a new era of development in Barak Valley, the Chief Minister said that already steps have been taken to set up a mini secretariat at Silchar which would facilitate easy access of government services by the people of the valley. Moreover,
Sonowal informed that efforts are afoot to set up another airport at Barak Valley to boost economic growth of the state.
Moreover, paying his tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of India’s independence during the sepoy mutiny at Karimganj, the Chief Minister said that commemorating their contributions, the state government would send a proposal to the central government to develop Indo-Bangladesh border at Karimganj in line with the Indo-Pakistan border at Wagah so as to attract tourism as well as promoting nationalistic sentiment.
Terming the rich natural resources, heritage, tradition and values of Assam as the core strength of the government, Chief Minister Sonowal said that there are many inherent potential amongst the vast number of small and large communities of the state.