Chief Minister Himanta Sarma initiates balanced growth strategy across Assam
Guwahati, June 6
The Government of Assam, under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is not pursuing development confined merely to Guwahati, rather, it is steadfastly committed to ensuring balanced and comprehensive progress across every corner of the state, a release said.
This vision is clearly reflected in the Chief Minister's ambitious roadmap for the historic city of Dibrugarh. Welcoming one of the first major decisions of the Government in its second term, the Assam Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party has expressed its appreciation for the substantial financial commitment made towards developing Dibrugarh as the state's second capital.
On behalf of the Assam BJP, party spokesperson Manas Sarania stated through an official communique that the Cabinet meeting held following the expansion of the NDA 3.0 Ministry approved the establishment of the State Capital Region Development Authority, Dibrugarh (SCRDA-D), to facilitate the creation of Dibrugarh as Assam's second capital.
As per the press release, the Government has further resolved to provide a dedicated corpus of Rs 500 crore over the next five years for infrastructure augmentation and developmental initiatives within a radius of 20 kilometres encompassing the Dibrugarh Capital Region, in addition to the projects already underway. This landmark initiative is a manifestation of the far-sighted statesmanship and visionary governance of Chief Minister Sarma.
The Chief Minister has consistently endeavoured to transform the historic city of Dibrugarh into a modern administrative and developmental hub equipped with world-class amenities, thereby enabling the people of Upper Assam to access essential governmental and administrative services more conveniently. At present, citizens are often compelled to travel to Guwahati for official and administrative purposes, resulting in considerable expenditure of both time and resources. The emergence of Dibrugarh as a functional capital region will substantially alleviate these burdens, ensuring greater administrative accessibility and public convenience.
The Assam BJP has also extended its heartfelt congratulations to Prasanta Phukan for being entrusted with this significant responsibility. Sarania observed that the Dibrugarh MLA has been appointed to oversee the affairs of the State Capital Region Development Authority, the press release said.
By conferring upon him Cabinet-rank status and assigning such a crucial responsibility, the Chief Minister has accorded due recognition and honour to one of Assam's most experienced and respected legislators. Under the stewardship of Prasanta Phukan, Dibrugarh is expected to undergo a remarkable transformation and emerge in an entirely new and progressive form. The spokesperson further noted that the Cabinet has taken a historic decision to strengthen the Members of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development Fund (MLALAD Fund).
The Assam BJP has expressed profound satisfaction at these people-centric and transformative measures undertaken under the dynamic leadership of Sarma. The party believes that such decisions exemplify the Government's unwavering commitment to public welfare, regional balance, and sustainable development, the release noted.
Additionally, the Assam BJP has welcomed the Cabinet's decisions regarding the enhancement of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief for State Government employees and pensioners, as well as measures aimed at encouraging career progression and promotional opportunities for Grade-IV employees.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative but let's be honest - we've heard such promises before. The real test will be implementation and transparency. Hope the funds are used properly and not diverted. Also curious about how this will impact the environment around Dibrugarh. Development is needed but not at the cost of Assam's green cover.
As a Guwahati resident, I actually welcome this. Our city is already bursting at the seams. Decentralization is the only way forward. Dibrugarh has historical significance and great potential. Giving MLAs more power through enhanced MLALAD fund is also smart politics. CM Himanta is playing 4D chess while others play checkers. 😎
This sounds promising. I've visited Assam a few times and the disparity between Guwahati and other districts is stark. Making Dibrugarh a second capital could really help spread economic activity. But I wonder about the other districts - what about Silchar, Jorhat, Tezpur? Balanced growth should mean all regions benefit, not just one more city.
Great decision by CM! But I wish they'd also focus on basic infrastructure in rural areas - better roads, healthcare, and schools. A second capital is good for prestige but villagers need functional primary health centers first. Still, any step towards balanced regional development is positive. Let's see how Prasanta Phukan delivers. 🙏
Coming from Dibrugarh originally, this makes me emotional. Our city has so much history - the tea gardens, the Brahmaputra, the old British-era buildings.
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