Prime Minister assures fullest cooperation
North East News Agency

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh formally inaugurated the implementation of the backward regions grant fund in a function held at Mandia, a remote place in Barpeta district and assured that the Centre would take all possible steps for the economic development of Assam. Addressing a large gathering after inaugurating the ambitious scheme, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that by promoting peace and development, Assam would be able to take its rightful place among the leading states of the country in the days to come.

The Prime Minister announced that the new scheme launched  is aimed at removing economic disparity and regional imbalance with rapid development of the backward regions of the country. He said that 250 districts in the entire country, including 11 in Assam, have been selected under the fund and each district would get an amount of Rs 10 to15 crore each annually under the scheme. The districts of Asom covered under the scheme are Morigaon, Dhemaji, Bongaigaon, Hailakandi, Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills, Lakhimpur, Goalpara, Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Cachar.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the schemes would be implemented by the panchayati raj institutions and the planning of the schemes would be prepared at the district level according to the local requirements. He announced that an amount of Rs 3760 crore has been earmarked under the fund for the first year and a training programme for the office bearers of the panchayati raj institutions would also be taken up. He pointed out that the scheme is a radical departure from the existing schemes as the same would be implemented with the active participation of the people at the grassroot level and the genuine needs of the backward areas would be assessed by the people while preparing the schemes. He stressed the need for proper utilisation of funds and hoped that the schemes to be taken up with the fund would reflect the genuine needs of the backward areas. He said that the implementation of the new scheme would realize the vision of “gram swaraj” of Mahatma Gandhi.

Dr Singh said that the scheme was one of the agenda of the common minimum programme of the UPA and said that the implementation of the same would lead to removal of economic disparity and result in overall development of all the backward parts of the country. He said that development of rural roads, providing self-employment avenues for improving the standard of living of the people of the backward areas. Primary health care, development of agriculture etc would be some of the major components of the scheme and stressed the need for utilising the services of the “barefoot engineers” and local specialists in various fields in implementing the projects under the scheme. He said that the implementation of the scheme would also lead to skill development and reduce the dependence on agriculture for livelihood.

The Prime Minister said that being a Rajya Sabha member from Asom, it had been his endeavour to give special attention to the economic development of the State. In this connection, he said that a thermal power plant is being established in Bongaigaon, while, a scheme has been launched for expansion of the capacity of the coal mines in Ledo. He said that the UPA Government has launched schemes for construction of new roads and bridges and conversion of MG railway tracks to BG in an attempt to improve connectivity in Asom and other parts of the North East region, while, special Central assistance was given for the development of sectors like health, education, irrigation, rural electrification drinking water etc. He praised Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and said that the “forward looking schemes” launched by the State Government would bring Asom to the league of the most developed states of the country. The Prime Minister’s speech in the function was translated into Asomiya for the benefit of the local people.

The Union Minister in charge of the Department for Development of North Eastern region, Mani Sankar Aiyer , addressing the function, said that Rs one crore would be spent on the training of the functionaries of the Panchayati Raj Institutions for successful implementation of the schemes. He said that apart from the scheme launched today, the Centre would be ready to provide additional funds for the development of the backward areas and requested the State Governments to send proposals for the same.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi thanked the Prime Minister for including 11 districts of Asom in the nation wide scheme and said that poor people living in the backward areas of the State would be benefited from the same. He stressed the need for proper planning and effective utilization of the funds for the benefit of the rural people and said that the development of the cities and towns cannot be yardsticks for development of any states. The development of the state would be possible only when all the backward places are developed, he added.

Gogoi said that the main aim of the State Government is to improve the standard of living of all sections of people and stress has been given on providing drinking water facilities and to improve rural connectivity. He said that the creation of the self help groups helped in easing the problem of unemployment and improved the standard of living of the people of the rural areas. He said that the State Government has laid emphasis on improving health care facilities to the people of the rural areas and announced that the process of establishing a medical college in Barpeta has started.

The function was also attended by the Panchayat and Rural development Minister Chandan Brahma.

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