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Silchar-Lumding BG line by March�15: CM

By Correspondent

SILCHAR, Feb 20 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today assured that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is reviewing the progress of the Silchar-Lumding broad-gauge project, a long-standing dream of the people of Barak Valley, and the project will be complete by March 2015. The East-West corridor, too, will be wrapped up in the same year, he said.

The Chief Minister was here to lay the foundation stone of a 255-metre bridge over the river Barak at Sadarghat. Rs 60 crore has been sanctioned for the bridge under the NLCPR from the Ministry of DoNER.

The Chief Minister made official announcements of multiple projects for the Barak Valley and the release of Rs 425 crore from his promised package of Rs 1000 crore. Gogoi ceremoniously inaugurated the schemes at the SM Dev Stadium of the Silchar District Sports Association.

Speaking to reporters, he said that though there are difficulties, both the national projects will be completed on time as the government is concerned about the development of the Barak Valley.

Narrating the growth story of the State since 2001, Gogoi claimed that Assam has grown from strength to strength overcoming many hurdles. He said he has also been following the progress of the gauge conversion work.

�Most of the initiatives in the State get delayed due to environment hazards; yet the government is always pushing hard for completion of the projects. We are concerned about the plight of the people here and the gauge conversion will be completed by March next year,� the Chief Minister said.

Asked on what grounds will the Congress seek votes from the people this time, Gogoi said that the pace of development in the State has increased substantially during the Congress regime, and hence the performance will speak for the government and the people can judge it by themselves.

On the �D� voter issue, Gogoi said that he has been communicating with the Election Commission of India stating that the people coming over from across the border must be given humanitarian consideration. But he was quick to point out that he cannot dictate the police to find out the foreigners.

He said he will take the initiative for developing small industries and said he has had talks with the Vice Chancellor of the Assam University to introduce courses like Agricultural Engineering and Dairy Farming.

Even as he chose not to comment on the possible alliance with AIUDF, the Chief Minister gave enough hints on the coalition. He expressed the confidence that the Congress will win at least 10 seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Gogoi said that during the AGP era, Assam was reeling under a heap of problems and under-development. It was the Congress which gave the State a new lease of life and brought it back on the path of development, he claimed.

�Money is not a problem and the government will announce many new projects, including sanctioning of Rs 10 crore for renovation of the SM Dev Stadium,� Gogoi added.

Taking a dig at BJP�s PM candidate Narendra Modi, Gogoi said that tall talks will not influence the people of Assam. The voters are aware of the situation and they will not fall into the trap of the saffron camp, he added.

�The BJP always crave power while the Congress works for the all-round development of the State and its people. The saffron camp uses the �D� voter issue to gain mileage. The people of Assam are all citizens of India.

The Chief Minister said that he has not forgotten the love that the people of the Barak Valley showered in the last Assembly elections and the government is bound to meet the legitimate demands of the people.

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