GUWAHATI, July 27 - The State government will send a proposal to the Centre to hold a Wagah-like retreat ceremony on the Indo-Bangladesh border in Karimganj in memory of the 26 sepoys who had laid down their lives in the first war of Independence in 1857, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said today.
Sonowal was participating in the discussion, called Speaker�s Initiative, in the State Assembly on the subject �Socio-economic Development of Barak Valley�. �Though I knew about it, I was reminded again by a few of our legislators. We will send a proposal to the Centre for holding of Wagah-like ceremony on the Indo-Bangladesh border,� he said, adding this would make the place an international tourist centre.
Malegarh is 21 km from Karimganj, on the India-Bangladesh border.
The Chief Minister said the government is also working on a green field airport in Barak Valley to boost connectivity and push international trade.
�A Mini Secretariat is also coming up in Barak which will lead to decentralization of power. Once it is completed, people will get service in short time. They won�t have to come all the way to Guwahati. Forty lakh people of Barak Valley will be immensely benefitted from the Mini Secretariat,� the CM said.
He said �practical initiatives� were needed to strengthen and develop Barak Valley. �If we follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s code of government conduct � Sabka sath, sabka vikash � we can make Assam a powerful State, given its resources, cultural richness and traditional knowledge base,� he added.
Sonowal said the government has been trying to showcase Assam�s potential by holding events like Namami Brahmaputra and Namami Barak which have brought out many hidden strengths of the State and sought cooperation from all legislators in the government initiatives.
