Assam govt lacks vision, reduces people to mere beneficiaries: Gaurav Gogoi

Guwahati, Jan 3: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi, on Saturday, alleged that the government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has failed to come up with any visionary plan and has instead reduced women and economically backward sections of society to mere beneficiaries in the name of welfare schemes.

Addressing a press meet in Tinsukia, Gogoi remarked that there is nothing new about distributing welfare schemes, noting that programmes like Orunodoi "exist in almost every state of the country".

"What Assam truly needs are initiatives that can make ordinary people economically self-sufficient," he said.

The Jorhat MP added that if the Congress comes to power, the party would study ways to ensure genuine empowerment of women and introduce new schemes accordingly.

“Real development can only be witnessed when schemes address the actual problems faced by the people,” he said.

Gogoi said that while the state government has decided to provide Rs 1,500 to temple attendants, it has taken no concrete steps to make the state’s sattras economically self-reliant.

“During the Congress government, emphasis was laid on economic empowerment. Even sattras were extended such support. As a result, many sattras are still able to sustain themselves independently, at least to some extent,” Gogoi said.

Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister, Gogoi accused the government of making only marginal increases in old-age pensions and women-oriented scheme benefits after prolonged deliberations, while significantly inflating project budgets when works are handed over to a select group of contractors.

“This is why a section of people in the state is becoming increasingly wealthy, while the poor remain confined to the status of beneficiaries,” he remarked.

Gogoi also accused the Chief Minister of misleading the public on the issue of granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities.

He said the Chief Minister had projected the tabling of the ministerial committee’s report in the Assembly as a historic achievement, only to later admit that ST status would not be granted before the Assembly elections.

Stating that the BJP may put up any show of strength it wants, Gogoi said the upcoming Assam Assembly elections would be closely contested.

“This time, the people of Assam will show the entire country that when a self-respecting populace unites, an arrogant and corruption-ridden government collapses easily. The BJP will not be able to mislead the conscious people of Assam,” he asserted.