When Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to interact with my Cabinet colleagues in Guwahati despite his hectic schedule, I felt like someone whose wish has been fulfilled. He spoke of his experience and journey, as a Chief Minister and Prime Minister, which made us realise the dedication he has towards the people of the country and the mindset that he carries with him. I now know what has kept him so rooted and why he is such a strong moral force. My Cabinet colleagues, too, were mesmerised by his personality and an action-oriented philosophy that he champions. His decisiveness and responsiveness are unique to his personality.
The Prime Minister’s visit to the North East during March and earlier, as well as his continuous monitoring of the region through his Cabinet colleagues, has certainly given him the impression that his attention of this once-neglected region has started bearing fruit. Hence, in a decision that will have bearings on the lives of the people of this neck of the woods, his Government decided to decrease the disturbed areas in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). This decision, according to our Home Minister Amit Shah Ji, has been taken on account of significant improvement in the security situation. As our respected Home Minister tweeted that for the first time in India’s history, any Prime Minister has prioritised security, peace and development in the North East. As a result, we are rapidly heading on the path of peace and development. One cannot agree more. Who but the people of Assam, or for that matter a Khasi, a Mizo a Naga, and a Manipuri, et al., will vouch that she has not seen a peaceful atmosphere like this ever in her life. The Prime Minister has really been able to “connect the region with the hearts of the rest of India.” No doubt, he has reduced the hyphen between the Centre and the North East.
This prioritisation of the Ashta-Lakshmi States by Modi Ji over the last nine years is now yielding rich dividends. Our economy is vibrant, our security policy sound and the social fabric is harmonious as ever.
These are the ingredients which have led to a tremendous growth in the State and its economy. The Budget presented by my colleague and Finance Minister Ajanta Neog has driven home this message to the world. It has allowed us to take bold steps to spend on infrastructure projects without thinking twice. It was unthinkable a few years ago that an economy like Assam can think of a Budget of ₹ 1.39 lakh cr. More than 20% of this will be capital expenditure, a force multiplier which boosts the economy and creates employment. This is a Budget which caters to aspirations of a new Assam and those of its hard-working people. Today, we are targeting a GSDP of 5.5 lakh cr by the end of the next fiscal. This, we feel, will be our contribution as India marches towards a $5 trillion economy.
My personal favourite spot in the Budget is the “Mukhya Mantri Sva-Niyojan Mission”. Through it, we will sow the seed of a huge employment boom that will be built on the twin pillars of talent of the locals and support from the Government.
Very recently, the National Medical Commission recognised Nalbari Medical College and gave it the approval to admit 100 MBBS students. It’s a historic accomplishment for Assam with four new medical colleges being set up in just one year! Let me take you back to those days when we just had three medical colleges to boot. Now, with a total of 12 Government medical colleges in the State, Assam is among those few States where affordable and better health treatment is a priority of the Government of the day.
In March we received the news that Assam has created a Guinness record of 42.9 lakh handwritten notes on Lachit Barphukan, our legendary General, which is recognised as the world’s largest online photo album in the world on a single topic. My happiness is not based on the feat that we have achieved but in sensing the spontaneous outpouring of love and respect that has been shown by the people of the State to the General who deserves every bit of it. My Government is happy to have created an enabling environment for you all to show that Lachit and his valour is imprinted in your heart. That this was a remarkable feat was even supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, in his “Maan Ki Baat”, specifically mentioned the achievement.
We are now going to create a similar environment for more 11,000 nasonis and dhulias of the State to create yet another Guinness record of the largest congregation and performance of Bihu at a single location. The record will merely be a logical conclusion of our heartfelt desire to take this dance form to a global audience. We will attempt to do so with other dance forms of the State in due course. I hope with spring around, there will be love and pride around our Bihu celebration which our honourable Prime Minister, too, will experience.
I take this opportunity to wish the people of Assam and readers of Asom Barta a Happy Rongali Bihu.
