GUWAHATI, June 18 � Future of Assam and Assamese people is bright, Assam will not become extinct, nor will the Assamese people. Rather, Assam and the Assamese people will flourish. This was the hope expressed by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. He was addressing the media persons as the guest of the month of the Guwahati Press Club here this morning.
Now, the people of Assam have developed a competitive attitude. They are gaining self-confidence too. These are good signs, he said.
�Today, Assam and Assamese people, the symbols of their national pride like the Bihu dance, Kaziranga National Park, river island Majuli etc are widely known. Assamese people are also spread far and wide on the globe. I am proud of the Assamese people,� the Chief Minister said.
If its resources are utilized properly, Assam can become one of leading states in India. Its locational disadvantage is in fact not a problem. �We can take advantage of the Look East Policy of the Government of India (GoI) to connect the State with South East Asia. We need not have big industries, but we may help our people with an inclusive growth approach. We need not go for big cities, as, big cities will make land and house inaccessible to the people,� said the Chief Minister.
Explaining State Government�s approach to ensure inclusive development, the Chief Minister said that the Government has been setting up institutes in the nook and corner of the State to spread development and its fruits for the benefit of all sections of the people.
However, he maintained that for the gross happiness of the people, moral character, meditation etc are also required. Only money cannot bring happiness, even though money is required, he observed.
When asked as to how he has been evaluating his performance as a Chief Minister, Gogoi said that the mindset of the State�s people has changed towards a positive one, economy has been stabilized and the State has been offered bonus for its fiscal performance by the Planning Commission and a loan worth Rs 1500 crore of the State has been waived by the Central Government. Moreover, the State has been able to provide its shares for implementation of the Centrally-sponsored schemes and it has also been introducing some development schemes on its own, he said, adding, these are some our achievements.
