State Cabinet approves Mini Secretariat in Barak Valley, Cong says "it's a cover up"
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR FEB 11: Among the key decisions taken by the State Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers have approved the establishment of Mini Secretariat in Barak Valley.
According to sources, the much awaited Mini Secretariat will have six important departments viz Personnel, Revenue and Disaster Management, GAD, Agriculture, Fishery and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department.
Expressing reactions on the development Minister of Excise, Forests and Fisheries Parimal Suklabaidya termed this as a welcoming move which would lessen the woes of the people of southern Assam to a great deal. He thanked Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for realising the importance of materialising the need of the Mini Secretariat which was a commitment made to the people of the valley.
"This was our promise to the people and we have been able to drive home a major development which will boost transformation of the valley in the coming days. Investment in the infrastructure development aids the overall prosperity of a place and honourable Chief Minister has taken keen interest for arriving at a farsighted decision in this regard. People of the valley can avail services here without major difficulty and this will also mark an end to their worries of traveling all the way to the state capital involving much anticipated administrative fillip."
He also hinted that Chief Minister might visit Barak Valley soon to ceremonially inaugurate the proceedings of the Mini Secretariat.
"From setting up of PWD Additional Chief Engineer's office, to now Mini Secretariat, Barak Valley's tag of being deprived and being victim of disparity shall end once the Mini Secretariat starts operating here, " Suklabaidya told The Assam Tribune.
The permanent building of the secretariat here will also come up soon at Srikona while in the interim, the District Administration has been assigned to allocate a suitable location which would make movement easy for people, the minister added.
Interestingly, All India Mahila Congress chief and former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev took a jibe at the BJP led State Government terming this cabinet resolution to be a 'cover up' especially ahead of the Assembly election.
"A promise made five years ago is manifested on the cusp of another election is nothing but a cover up. They could built only a wall errected so far for the Mini Secretariat in the last five years. They failed to deliver their commitment," Dev was quoted as saying.
