BARPETA, Jan 6 � State Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka acknowledged the all pervading nature of corruption in the State but expressed the hope that it will be reduced to a considerable extent with the efforts and initiatives undertaken by the government.
Addressing a public meeting at Barpeta on January 4 morning on the occasion of the inauguration of the new building of the Treasury Officer, Barpeta, Deka said that Treasury is one of the corrupted offices in the State. But the Government of Assam led by the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has adopted a number of effective steps to curb it. Computerisation of the Treasury offices of the state is one of the such measures. He informed that the computerised process of the bills and payments will help a lot in reducing the menace of corruption though it can not be removed.
Referring to his own tenure as the Minister of State for Finance during 2001-2006, the minister said that he had received a number of complaints regarding the corrupt practices of the employees of the Treasury offices and took stern measures against those found guilty. He urged upon the employees to serve the people with utmost dedication so that every one visiting the office exits with delight.
Later talking to reporters, the minister informed that the State Government is aware of the plight of the farmers of the state and it will begin the procurement of paddy on its own following its Central Procurement Policy from this year itself. �W have received several complaints, gone through the media reports and have begun procurements of paddy through Food Corporation of India. But they also face lack of man power and warehousing facility. As a result some of the farmers are deprived of the benefit. The government has considered it seriously and has decided to procure paddy on its own.�
He also informed that the government has already taken step to mitigate the woes of the vegetable farmers compelling to sell their products at throw away prices and have established an auction centre at Guwahati. Regulated Market committees of the state have been directed to take maximum vegetables to this centre so that both buyers and sellers are benefited with reasonable prices.
Anchored by Sanjib Sarma, the treasury officer of Barpeta, the inaugural function of the office building was also addressed by the Deputy Commissioner of the district Siddhartha Singh who informed that the three-storeyed building is built at a cost of Rs 3.20 crore with all the modern facilities.
N N Borah, director of treasuries, Assam, informed that the Treasury offices all over the State is being computerised which is expected to curb corruption and provide expeditious service. The programming in the computers is so designed that every bill must reach the bank within two days otherwise it will lock on the third day. So there is no question of inordinate delay in payment of bill as earlier.
Burha Satriya, Barpeta Satra, Bashishtha Dev Sarma and Superintendent of Police Dr G V Sivaprasad also attended the function.
