GUWAHATI, March 4 � Governor JB Patnaik in his address to the State Assembly on the first day of the Budget Session today said that the Look East Policy is surging ahead with closer and deeper economic integration by exploring market linkage with the South East Asian countries, including China.
The State Government has taken initiative for promotion of �Brand Assam� in respect of Assam orthodox tea and handicraft items in the national and international markets, he added.
On the Lower Subansiri project, Patnaik said that the Government is committed towards early completion of the project keeping in mind the interests of the people living in the downstream areas and would seek more power for the State from the project.
The Governor admitted that in the year 2012-13, the State witnessed unprecedented floods in three waves, leaving 149 people dead and affecting around 36 lakh people. Giving an account of the steps taken by the Government to deal with the problems of flood and erosion, he said that an Assam Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management project has been launched, which would benefit an area of 1.10 lakh hectares having a population of around 10 lakhs. He also asserted that the Government is committed to save Majuli from flood and erosion and to enlist it in the list of World Heritage sites.
On the issue of crimes against women and children, the Governor said that anti-human trafficking units have been established in different districts of the State and women cells in the police stations have been made functional. For the protection of women and girls, an all-women platoon has been set up in the Assam Police.
Condoling the deaths in violence in Rabha Hasong area during the Panchayat polls, Patnaik said that the violence could be controlled in the shortest possible time.
He said that the multiprogned strategy adopted by the Government to deal with militancy yielded the desired results and this led to signing of memorandum of settlement with both factions of the DHD. This is expected to usher in a new era of hope and prosperity in the Dima Hasao district with proposal for decentralization of power up to the village council level giving equal opportunities to all communities.
On the issue of infiltration of foreigners, the Governor informed the House that the Foreigners (Tribunal) order of 1964 has been amended to ensure prompt disposal of cases pending before tribunals. He said that the State Cabinet, on August 16 last year, approved the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub Committee on updating the National Register of Citizens and it has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India for necessary action.
