As I write this, I am sure many of you have watched our icon Zubeen Garg’s last film Roi Roi Binale to show your respect to him as well as your love for cinema. The State Cabinet recently took a decision that we will deposit the GST collection accruing to the State coffers from the sale of the film’s tickets to a foundation established by the deceased singer whose interest, as always, was selfless. The Cabinet was unanimous that we will do all that it takes to ensure that Zubeen’s memory stays with us for all times to come. We will also respect different voices who are suggesting ways and means to promote his creations and ideals to the world at large. We are aware that Zubeen belonged to the people and will always be part of them. We also know that the Government belongs to the people and governs in their interest. So, the people’s interest must be respected by the Government of the day and the Government’s intent must always reflect what is in the best interest of the people. This is the Raj Dharma that we all abide by. Hence, whatever our Government is doing is to ensure justice for Zubeen is in keeping the larger interest of the people in mind. This justice means justice to his aura, the personality that he was, the humaneness that he represented and the love he had for all. Anything else than that would not be fair to the man who had the greatest interest of his State and his fellow Assamese in mind. We have already put in place various committees to ensure that what we do to keep his memory is unique and abiding.
October was a landmark month for governance, especially for women in the State. Nijut Moina 2.0, Orunodoi 3.0 and MMUA scheme were given traction with new features taking into consideration the ground reality. Nijut Moina is one of our most ambitious schemes in terms of a long-term perspective which has the potential to change the future of Assam. I have always believed that empowering the girl child is empowering society. By focusing on the importance of female education from the school to the university-level, we are trying to build a self-dependent generation, while curbing the harmful societal effect that normally accompanies absence of education. Once we do so, we know that many of these girls will go on to seek a future in entrepreneurship, where our scheme like MMUA will come to their aid. In one sense, our policies are vertically and horizontally integrated if one looks at the overall picture. Orunodoi, let us not forget, also acts as a buffer and aid to good health and education. In my tour across the nook and cranny of our State, I have met and been approached by scores of mothers and sisters who have appreciated what we are doing for them. This is what I would term as people-centric governance. Schemes with a long term benefit to society that would make people self-dependent and not Government-dependent in the long term.
All that we are doing does not mean that the Government is just sitting on its haunches. In fact, this month alone, we have recruited over 15,000 youths to fill up vacancies in the Government. This also includes the police. What we have done with this set of recruitment is to send a message to the pessimist that there are things which can be done beyond election promises. We had promised one lakh jobs, but we are nearing employment to two lakh in Government. Let me remind our readers that these recruitment is happening in a clean, transparent manner based on merit and merit alone. After a long time, the Government has managed to wrest back the trust in Government-recruitment, something which is indeed a matter of pride for all of us, and not just the party which has been elected to govern. It is the victory of an institution called Government and not of one individual or his Cabinet. Only a strong set of leadership is capable of doing this. That is precisely why I keep on insisting that leaders must have a long term vision of the society they are part of.
Our CM-FLIGHT programme which again is youth and skill oriented has been kicked off. Our youth in the first phase of it will get a chance to learn the Japanese language to explore the possibility of working for Japanese companies in India as well as going to the Land of the Rising Sun for employment opportunities. The value of a skilled work force is an asset for companies and countries. Let me inform all readers of this column that the process has just begun. From Japanese, we will move to other languages to empower our youth and give them options. The more options one has, the more empowered she feels.
