Author: Staff Reporter
Publication: The Assam Tribune
Date: November 1, 2007
URL: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=nov0207/at02
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today claimed that
overall law and order situation in the State had been improving. The surrender
of the militants of various outfits in a growing number has been an indicator
to this, he said. However, in the same breath, he said that there was no scope
for the Government to be complacent, as, there was a 'clear understanding
between ULFA and the jehadi groups' to step up violent activities. He was
addressing a press conference here this afternoon.
To substantiate his claim that law and order
situation has improved in the State, he said that since the halt to the peace
process between the Government and ULFA, 655 cadres of the militant outfits
had surrendered to the authorities. But when the peace process was on, 44
of the militants surrendered.
In reply to a question, he said that it was
due to the resentment among the rank and file of the militant outfits and
also due to the realisation dawning on them that for the greater interest
of the State they should join the mainstream of the society, the number of
surrenderers had been growing.
JNNURM: The State Government is preparing
a proposal worth over Rs 3,000 crore for development of Guwahati city under
the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM), said the Chief
Minister.
It has already submitted a proposal worth
Rs 1,100 crore to the Central Government for the purpose of strengthening
the drinking water project of the city. The Central Government has allocated
about Rs 500 crore so far under the mission and this entitlement has been
made on the basis of population.
But the State Government is insisting upon
the allocation of Rs 1,100 crore for strengthening the drinking water project
of the city. Besides, it is also trying to impress upon the Central Government
of the need to make an allocation of Rs 500 crore for the drainage and sewerage
network of the city, he said.
The Prime Minister, in response to the above
requests made by the State Government, has asked the latter to explore the
probabilities of mobilising international funding agencies for the purpose,
said the Chief Minister.
On top of these, the Central Government is
going for setting up a good school in each of the development blocks of the
State, he apprised.
He also told the media persons that the Central
Government had agreed to improve road link of the NE states with the South
East Asian countries. In Assam, the National Highway Authority (NHAI) has
now proposed to enhance its investment to Rs 1,200 crore for the purpose.
For the current year, it has earmarked an amount of Rs 280 crore, said the
Chief Minister.
Diarrhoea: The State Government is very serious
about the outbreak of diarrhoea in epidemic form in several parts of the State.
The issue, particularly the issue of occurrence of the disease in the sick
tea estates, has been taken up with the Prime Minister, said the Chief Minister.
With the implementation of the National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) schemes in the Upper Assam districts from
April next year, the State Government would be able to take some effective
measures to check the outbreak of the disease. Because, it will help implementation
of the drinking water schemes in the Upper Assam areas, he said.
