GUWAHATI, Feb 26 - Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide Central Assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for taking up development activities for the minority community of the State, said an official press release here today.
In a letter to the Prime Minister today, Gogoi said that India is a pluralistic society, with convergence of people with diverse religious, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The reflection of this diversity is manifest in the social fabric of Assam, where we have individuals of different communities living together. The minorities are an essential part of our society and the Constitution of our country provides equal opportunities to them.
The Chief Minister said that both the Central and the State governments have taken up a number of initiatives for all-round development of the minority communities of Assam. Various schemes have been taken up by the State government for the benefit of the minority communities in the sectors like health, education, skill development, employment generation, electricity, water supply and sanitation, etc. The implementation of these schemes has to a great extent assuaged the problems faced by the people of these communities and have helped them achieve remarkable progress.
In his letter, the Chief Minister pointed out that there are still some gaps, which need to be bridged urgently for fostering the overall and all-inclusive development of the State. The State government has no doubt taken up a multi-pronged strategy to improve the conditions of the minorities, but this by itself is not enough. There are still areas of concern, which demand persistent attention.
The Chief Minister highlighted that a substantial population of the minority community in Assam resides in the char areas, which are riverine areas of the Brahmaputra. These areas are characterized by high population density, extreme poverty, illiteracy and lack of infrastructure, insecurity of livelihood and are often ravaged by flood and erosion.
The Chief Minister said that for the benefit of the people living in these isolated remote areas, the Government of Assam has taken up a number of schemes under the aegis of the Directorate of Char Areas Development. Several innovative schemes have been launched in the sectors of employment generation, women empowerment, health, education, transportation, solar electrification, etc.
