Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, Jan 29: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal while addressing the open session of the 72nd Raising Day of the Village Defence Party (VDP) in the historic Talatal Ghar premises today, said that the vigilant VDPs supported by the Assam Police and the government has been able to bring back peace in the State besides fighting corruption at different levels. It is because of the new-found ambience of peace, development has become a reality since 2016.
The Chief Minister said that 240 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed for an investment of over Rs 55,000 crore in the State, unheard of in earlier periods. He lauded the VDPs in 26,000 villages and their role in the development process as they had lent their helping hands in rooting out corruption and pollution. More than 222 square kilometres of forest cover has increased during these five years, rhino poaching has stopped and the Dibru Saikhowa RF is being upgraded to a national park – all because of peace and stability in the State.
The Indo-Bangladesh border has been effectively sealed with advanced technology from Israel, which was porous during the entire period since Independence, Sonowal said and added that it was a precondition for illegal foreigner deportation.
Sonowal paid glowing tributes to Hari Narayan Baruah, the founding father of the Village Defence Party and said that a massive statue of Baruah will be erected in Guwahati. He added that the government will increase the honorarium of the VDPs soon. He urged upon the youths to analyse impartially the works done by the government and called upon the youths to work harder as there is no short cut to development. He said that the government is setting up a park in Charaideo in memory of the 42 Ahom Swargadeos.
The meeting was attended, among others, by Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management Jogen Mohan, Jorhat MP Topon Kumar Gogoi, MLAs from Amguri, Sonari and Thowra LACs Pradip Hazarika, Navanita Handique and Kushal Duwori respectively and Sivasagar Deputy Commissioner Bishnu Kamal Bora.
Earlier on January 28, the two-day State conference of the Village Defence Party began with the delegates’ meeting at MC Hall in Sibsagar College, Joysagar which was inaugurated by Diganta Bora, IPS, Chief Controller, VDP, Assam and was presided over by Anjan Kumar Bora, Chief Adviser, VDP. The cultural programme was inaugurated by Dr GV Sivprasad, ADGP, Eastern Zone.
