The report from the ground, literally, is very encouraging. Our sporting initiative, Khel Maharan, has been able to induce sports enthusiasts cutting across age groups, geography, districts, and gender to come out in large numbers to showcase their skill sets in five selected disciplines. From teenagers to mothers, sports have never been a barrier for those who love to be in action, and Khel Maharan is proving that. I have been briefed by officials that in many rural areas, serious talents have been spotted. I have reasons to believe that this is the case and sooner than later, we will be able to locate champions who will make our State and nation proud. Yes, I am also aware that spotting a talent alone will not be sufficient, but we must also see to it that they get the right training and exposure to nurture their talent. I can assure everyone that the State will act as a facilitator to ensure that we produce world class sportsmen. Khel Maharan is merely a beginning; we have grand plans to build on our early success.
Our Government has continued cleansing the rot that has set in the administration and bureaucracy. We have made sure that corruption in any form will not be tolerated. Our action in the last few weeks must warm the cockles of everyone’s heart that the State Government will be relentless in ensuring a clean and transparent Government. The arrest of key administrative, revenue, and police officials in the last few days is a signal that others must see. Whereas we are keen to ensure that jobs cannot be purchased and taken based on influence be it Grade III to Grade IV, how can we tolerate Government officials who have come through the backdoor to occupy key positions of influence and authority from where they will decide the future of the State? The next generation will not pardon us if we maintain any status quo on this. We owe a transparent and clean governance mechanism to our progeny, and that is what I have set out to do, guided by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The entrepreneurial instincts that our Government has been trying to kickstart in the State are bearing fruit. Over 2.29 lakh youth have applied for loan and assistance under the Chief Minister’s Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan. The response from all the districts of the State, going by their population and other criteria, has been phenomenal. Just a few years back, Assam or for that matter Assamese were considered more inclined towards Government jobs, and the entrepreneurial spirits, at least on paper, were best left to those from outside the State. The scenario has changed completely. More and more of our youths are coming forward with workable ideas that need support or hand holding. As a Government, which has its limitations, we have gone out of our way to devise schemes which can not only make our youth atma nirbhar but also make Assam a self-reliant State. I am amazed at the variety of proposals that have come. It means people are thinking of breaking free of the mindset that a Government job is the only way to happiness and security. I have no doubt that in the coming years it will lead to more and more jobs being created in the private sector and a healthy Startups culture will be firmly in place. As a Government, I can assure all that we will act as a facilitator in bringing that ecosystem in place for everyone to prosper.
The visit of His Majesty the King of Bhutan to Assam, and subsequently to New Delhi will be one of the most memorable moments for me as an individual and as a Chief Minister of Assam. To host a political head or a royal head of a nation, and that, too, for the first time ever in the State’s history, has a different feeling. My conversation with the Druk Gyalpo left me very impressed. I have realised that simplicity is always the way to peoples’ hearts and minds. Whereas we did discuss issues of mutual interest, especially because our State and Bhutan share a common history of travel, trade and geographical boundaries, I was also impressed by his demeanour, and general interest in the other person. The fact that he enjoyed his visit to Assam is very heartening to know. I have been briefed by officials who accompanied His Majesty that the Bhutan King has expressed his desire to visit Assam again with his family. Later, when the Government of India and the Royal Government of Bhutan issued a joint declaration during his visit to New Delhi, I could sense that His Majesty’s visit to our State was very heartfelt. The declaration has a lot of content which are of interest to our State and its people. We will work on this joint declaration at an appropriate level to make sure that this visit is etched forever in our hearts and minds.
