MIRZA, Feb 15 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday distributed cheques to the flood victims of Chhaygaon, Boko, Hajo and Palasbari LACs who had lost their houses and other properties in the menacing flash floods in August and September 2014 last. He also inaugurated a host of schemes in Chhaygaon.
Addressing the people in Chhaygaon the Chief Minister said that the Assam Government had stressed more on rural development as compared to urban development and every department of the State Government had been involved in the development of all sections of people including farmers, weavers, planters etc., living in the rural areas.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Rs 4.88 crore RCC bridge at Singhkhat in Chhaygaon. This bridge is considered as one of the vital links between Chhaygaon market and Singhkhat area. He said that the bridge will help farmers in safe transportation and speedy sale of their products in the Chhaygaon market.
�Prior to the formation of my Government, only 309 RCC bridges had been developed in Assam by the previous Governments, but in the last 14 years, we have elevated 4000 wooden bridges into RCC bridges and these bridges have promoted speedy and safe transportation facilities to the people of Assam,� Gogoi said.
He further said that the Assam Government was committed to development of the womenfolk and it had launched several women-oriented schemes including 30 per cent reservation of women in government jobs.
The Chief Minister launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the Prime Minister who wears a coats costing Rs 10 lakh has deducted funds this year for the State which would affect development.
Addressing the people, local MLA and Parliamentary Secretary, Education, Rekibuddin Ahmed said that there were altogether 108 wooden bridges in Chhaygaon LAC prior to 2001 before the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress Government came to power and now altogether 91 wooden bridges out of 108 wooden bridges have been made concrete bridges and the remaining bridges would also be elevated to RCC bridges shortly.
Ahmed said he was committed to providing his best service to the people of South Kamrup and that a Rs 172 crore anti-erosion project in Assam funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was being implemented in the Gumi-Jahirpur area under Chhaygaon LAC which would help curb recurring erosion of Brahmaputra in Chhaygaon LAC.
�Nearly all the vital roads in Chhaygaon LAC have been blacktopped and the remaining portions would also be black topped. The model hospital in Bamunigaon and the 30-bed hospital at Singimari in Chhaygaon LAC have already been commissioned. The Chhaygaon PHC is also proposed for being elevated into an FRU. Chhaygaon College, a higher education centre of Chhaygaon LAC, has been provided Rs 1 crore for development of infrastructure and college will have digital library for the benefit of the student community,� Ahmed said.
On the NRC update exercise launched by the Assam Government, Ahmed said that in the name of NRC update, nobody in Chhaygaon LAC would be allowed to suffer harassment.
Ahmed requested the Assam Chief Minister to declare South Kamrup as a district.
The Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup, Dr J Balaji said that over 12,000 houses had been damaged in the formidable floods last year that wreaked havoc in Chhaygaon, Boko and Palasbari LACs in Kamrup district and the Assam Government had already released Rs 4,55,50,500 ( Rs 4.55 crore) to 12,829 families whose houses , kuccha and pucca, were damaged in the floods. Besides, several thousand flood-ravaged families have been covered under the MGNREGA programme and ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased in the floods in 2014 has already been released.
