Guwahati, May 24 (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal marked his government's two years in power today by listing out the achievements of the BJP-led coalition in the state.
In keeping with the promises made to the people, the government has taken effective measures to make the state "economically vibrant" and "free from the scourge of illegal migration, insurgency and corruption", he told reporters at a press meet here.
The government is committed to serve its people with integrity, Sonowal said.
"Assam has taken initiatives to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) under the directions of the Supreme Court. Ours is the first and only state in the country undertaking this exercise to document bonafide citizens of the state," he said.
Asked about the widespread protests in Assam over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, he said, "The government of Assam will not go against the interests of its people."
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill seeks to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of their residence in India.
The CM urged government officials to adopt a policy of "zero tolerance towards corruption".
"The state has ordered probe into various cases of corruption to root out the social evil from government machinery. It has arrested 74 government officials, including two serving IAS officers, Director of Information and Public Relations and CEO of Zilla Parishad, for their involvement in corrupt activities."
Referring to the cash-for-job scam that rocked the state last year, he said, "Apart from the chairman and two members of Assam Public Service Commission, 20 state civil service officers, seven police officers, nine allied service officers and five other government employees have been arrested in the case."
More than four lakh "bogus job cards" issued by the previous Congress government have been cancelled, Sonowal said, adding that his government has given jobs to 45,000 youths through a transparent process.
Due to proactive steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the pace of several important projects has been accelerated in the state, he said.
"India's longest Dhola-Sadia bridge across rivers Brahmaputra and Lohit triggered new economic revolution in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and entire Northeast," he asserted.
The BJP-led government's initiatives in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors have prompted "resurgence in the development narratives" of the state, Sonowal told reporters here.
"Efforts to bring about overall development in the state have gathered momentum. The global investors' summit held here recently has generated a positive environment for industrial growth in Assam," he added.
