GUWAHATI, Feb 28 - The State government today accused the NDA government at the Centre of trying to take credit for projects sanctioned by the previous UPA dispensation in New Delhi.
PWD Minister Ajanta Neog told reporters here today that Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari yesterday laid foundation for certain projects where work is already going on.
She said that the previous government led by Manmohan Singh had sanctioned the four-laning of the Numaligarh-Dibrugarh section in 2009 Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North Eastern Region or SARDP-NE. Neog said that Gadkari had himself once earlier laid the foundation for the project at Jorhat during a visit some time back.
�Why should there be two foundation laying ceremonies for the same project. It is an old project sanctioned by the UPA government,� she said, adding that four-laning of the Nagaon-Dibrugarh stretch, Bogibeel Bridge and bypasses in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Chabua and Moran are all ongoing projects sanctioned earlier.
She said that the UPA regime had in 2012-13 declared 13 new National Highways in the North East, including 10 in Assam and the gazette notification for these was published in March 2013.
Regarding Gadkari�s announcements of four new bridges over the Brahmaputra, Neog said that the State government has not received any official communication from the Centre about them.
�Merely saying things is not enough. There is a process in decision making, including preparation of a DRP, land acquisition and other steps. There has to be a gazette notification. Various formalities need to be observed. It is good that Gadkari is taking initiative. We want more bridges and more highways but mere words are not enough,� said the Minister.
