Assam moving towards major transformation under present government: BJP MLA Bhupen Borah
Guwahati, May 26
Former Assam Congress President and newly elected BJP MLA Bhupen Borah on Tuesday praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's vision for the state, asserting that the state was moving towards major economic and social transformation under the current state government.
Speaking to reporters after the Assembly proceedings, Borah said the Chief Minister had made several important announcements relating to poverty eradication, economic growth, healthcare and inflation control.
Referring to recent surveys on poverty levels, the BJP MLA added that Chief Minister Sarma expressed confidence that the number of people living below the poverty line in Assam would decline sharply over the next five years.
"The Chief Minister did not claim that poverty would disappear completely, but he made it clear that the government would work to bring down the percentage of people living below the poverty line to a minimum level," Borah said.
He also lauded the state government's target of building a Rs 10 lakh crore economy in Assam by 2028-29, saying the roadmap presented by the Chief Minister appeared realistic and development-oriented.
According to Borah, industrial growth and investment promotion would not only strengthen the state economy but also generate employment opportunities for youths.
"If investors are given proper facilities and support, economic growth will naturally increase and employment generation will also improve," he said, while adding that complete dependence on government jobs was not a practical solution to unemployment.
The BJP MLA also highlighted the state government's focus on healthcare, particularly maternal and child welfare.
Borah said Chief Minister Sarma had expressed serious concern over maternal mortality and stressed the need for further reforms in the health sector despite improvements recorded in recent years.
He also added that the state government was actively considering measures to tackle inflation and provide relief to common people.
On the issue of judicial matters, Borah said neither the state Assembly nor political leaders should interfere in court proceedings, adding that legal processes must continue independently.
The former Congress leader also criticised the Opposition, alleging that certain political parties crossed "all limits of political decorum" during the election campaign, which, according to him, was rejected by the people of Assam in the recent state polls.
Bhupen Borah's political switch ahead of the recently concluded Assam Assembly elections had drawn considerable attention in the state's political circles.
Borah, who earlier served as the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President, joined the BJP just before the Assembly polls.
Following his induction into the BJP, the party fielded him from the Bihpuria Assembly constituency, where Borah emerged victorious in the elections.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see Borah's switch – he was Congress president just a while ago! But that's politics I guess. I hope he genuinely works for Assam now. The Rs 10 lakh crore target sounds ambitious but let's see if it's backed by real action. 😊
I'm a foreigner but I follow Indian politics. This transformation talk sounds similar to other BJP states. For Assam, the key will be tackling inflation and creating jobs beyond government positions. Hope they succeed for the people's sake.
Bhupen Borah's criticism of the opposition is interesting – he knows their game better now! But I wish he'd talk about the flood situation too, which affects Assam every year. That should be priority one for any government here.
Maternal mortality is a serious issue in Assam – good that CM Sarma is focusing on it. But we need more than announcements. Concrete plans for better hospital facilities and awareness in remote areas are essential. Words are cheap, action matters.
I voted for BJP this time hoping for change. Borah's vision for industrial growth sounds promising, but the common man like me cares more about rising prices of dal and chawal. If inflation comes down, that's real transformation. Everything else is secondary.
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