Guwahati, July 2 (PTI): The Assam government aims to complete all major road projects in the state by 2020, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said today, exhorting the legislators to play their part in fulfilling the objective.
Speaking at a review meeting of Assam Public Works Department (PWD) here, Sonowal alleged that the erstwhile Congress government had built substandard roads.
“The roads constructed during the previous (Congress) government’s tenure gave way in six months or so. We do not want to construct such substandard roads,” he said.
All procedures, including tender assessments and preparation of detailed project reports, must be completed by the end of the rainy season, the CM said.
“We must not waste a single day in the construction season that lasts from October to April,” he told the officials and MLAs.
The CM also said that people would retain their faith in the government if the elected representatives work for their development.
“The state government plans to complete the construction of all main roads of the state by 2020. The MLAs must play their part by prioritising the road projects in their constituencies. When people see that the MLAs and public representatives have done their bit, they would respond favourably in the elections,” Sonowal asserted.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated projects to build “model villages, model districts, model constituencies”, the CM said, “Under Modi’s leadership, both central and state governments have been able to perform exceedingly well in providing quality governance.”
People of all sections of the society have benefited by different government schemes, the CM said, urging the MLAs to highlight BJP’s welfare programmes at the grass-root level.
Referring to the Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Achoni scheme, under which funds are provided to self-help groups, Sonowal asked the MLAs to facilitate proper utilisation of resources for the economic development of women.
He also asked the legislators to reach out to the beneficiaries of ‘Ujjwala’ scheme and find out if they faced any issue in using LPGs.
In his response, PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said roads spanning 10,000km are being constructed at present, under the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
Sarma also said that the department would build around 700 bridges at a cost of INR 1500 crore.
Taking a dig at the previous government, the minister said it took 15 years for the Congress to build 17000 km roads, while the present dispensation built 10,000km in just one year.
The PWD minister called on the MLAs to suggest road projects in their constituencies for their inclusion in the department’s action plan.
He said that INR 1 crore would be allotted for building roads in the vicinity of 800 tea gardens.
Sarma, during the meet, also stated that the legislators of all parties would also be invited for PWD meets in the future to ensure effective implementation of road projects.
