Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on what he described as “left-liberal” politics, accusing such groups of opposing infrastructure and development projects by default. Replying to the budget debate on the eighth day of the Assembly’s budget session, Sarma said Assam could not afford to fall behind in the race for growth. “Left-liberal people try to oppose every development initiative. We need hospitals, roads, irrigation and agriculture, but whenever a project comes up, they resist it,” the chief minister said. Sarma argued that India has entered an era of competitive federalism in which states willing to reform and industrialise would receive greater support from the Centre. “This is the era of competitive federalism,” he told the House. According to him, states that pursue industrialisation, higher exports, full literacy and power-surplus status would stand to benefit more from central assistance.
He also cautioned that neighbouring Northeastern states were moving ahead aggressively with their own development agendas and that Assam would have to continue reforms to maintain its lead in the region. The Chief Minister said direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes have played the biggest role in reducing poverty in Assam. He claimed that the state’s multidimensional poverty rate has fallen from 32.67 per cent in 2015 to 14.47 per cent now, and said the government’s goal is to bring it down to a single digit. “Direct cash benefit transfer has played the most major role in poverty alleviation in our state, and we intend to bring down the rate to a single digit. To attack poverty directly, direct cash benefit transfer is the way. Poverty alleviation through development, agriculture, MSMEs, etc, will take years,” he said.
Sarma said welfare schemes such as Orunodoi, Nijut Moina and free foodgrain distribution had contributed significantly to poverty reduction. The chief minister said assistance from the Union government had enabled Assam to undertake major projects, including the Kaziranga elevated corridor and the proposed underground tunnel through the Brahmaputra. Referring again to critics of development projects, he alleged that people influenced by Left ideology were trying to obstruct such initiatives and warned of strict action against those creating hurdles. “To increase the budget size, we need growth. And for it, industrialisation, agriculture and development in such sectors are imperative,” he said.
Rejecting the Opposition’
s charge that the budget was a “copy-paste” exercise, Sarma said it reflected the BJP-led government’s continuing vision for Assam’s development. He urged MLAs across party lines to encourage entrepreneurship in their constituencies, cooperate in implementing government projects and guide young people preparing for competitive examinations. During his reply, Sarma announced that a medical college will be established in Mankachar within the next five years to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in western Assam and improve access to medical education and services. On employment, he said the government aims to create opportunities for nearly one lakh youths through the development of satellite cities, which are expected to emerge as new centres of economic activity, investment and urban expansion. He also said Assam has set a target of generating 8,457 MW of electricity as part of its broader infrastructure push.
