Assam CM Gogoi distributes land deeds to city dwellers

The Chief Minister said the process for distribution of land patta (land deed) to those who have occupied government land for 10 years and above has started in right earnest.

   

"We have started the process of distribution of patta from today and it would be completed in due course of time," he said.

       

He said it was unfortunate that some sections had been trying to put hurdles on the way of allotting patta.

"Everything has been carried out in consultation with Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity leader Akhil Gogoi," the Chief Minister said.

       

"They can demand that the process be expedited and raise other issues. We would listen to them. But why they should put a spanner in the process of distribution of land patta, which they have been demanding since long," he added.

       

Gogoi, however, asserted the government would not allow encroachment on forests land and wetlands at any cost.

“The destruction of forests has led to flash floods resulting in heavy erosion rendering many homeless and affecting lakhs of acres of agricultural land due to siltation,” Gogoi said.

"The encroachment on wetlands will also lead to an alarming situation and may result in drinking water scarcity, health and other problems. We cannot allow things to drift to a point of no return," he added.

       

The Chief Minister said in granting land patta the preference would be given to those living below the poverty-line, homeless and landless people.

       

The first recipient of land patta was Purnima Saikia, mother of Deepamoni Saikia who had died in a bomb blast in Guwahati in October 2008.

       

Hitting out at Akhil Gogoi for creating a situation by resorting to agitation on the day of distribution of land deeds, Revenue Minister Prithivi Majhi said, “It was clearly spelt out to him in course of a meeting with the Chief Minister on December 9 last year that the entire process of allotting land patta to around 70,000 to 75,000 dwellers living in hills and plains of Guwahati would take at least three years and not six months as demanded by him."

"It was agreed upon to start the process of issuing land patta. And now he has taken a U-turn and creating an uncalled for situation," Majhi claimed.

   

Pranab Boro set himself on fire in front of the Secretariat here on Monday morning and succumbed to his wounds in the GMC Hospital later in the day triggering protest across the state.

(Agencies)

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Assam CM asks people to treat Modi as guest during BJP’s 22nd February rally

"Modi) will stay here only two or three hours. He is a ‘mehman’ (guest) visiting us for such a short time, so treat him as you treat a guest," Gogoi said on the sidelines of a function in Silchar.

   

Modi is scheduled to address a rally in Silchar on Saturday before leaving for another one to be held at Pasighat in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

   

Talking about the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Chief Minister said the AIUDF has no future in the state.

   

"Many Muslims were influenced by the AIUDF and had cast their votes in favour of their candidates in the last elections but ultimately they have realized that the leaders of the party are not interested in serving them," Gogoi said.

   

"AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal contested the last Parliamentary elections from Silchar. He lost the polls, and in fact, he gave away the seat indirectly to BJP but now people will not repeat the same mistake," he added.

Gogoi claimed that Assam has reached a new era of development, which happened only because of the Congress.

(Agencies)

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Gogoi presents Interim Budget, says Assam’s growth estimated at 5.87 percent

Gogoi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said, “As per advance estimate, the GSDP at constant prices (2004-2005) for 2013-2014 reflected a growth of 5.87 percent.”

“The GSDP at current prices during 2012-13 with a 'quick estimate' is 12.56 percent higher than 2011-12,” he added, while presenting the Interim Budget for 2014-2015 in the Assam Assembly.

Gogoi said that the state has withstood the pressure of global recession and fiscal compression since 2008.

    

"While I am confident that I shall be able to maintain this trend in the coming days too, I would, however, like to put in a word of caution. The overall national growth rate continues to be much below expectation. Our state cannot remain totally insulated for long from global and national economic trends," he said.

    

The state witnessed revenue surplus of Rs 1,554 crore in 2012-13, he added.

    

"The fiscal deficit has also turned into a surplus of Rs 1,516 crore and the fiscal deficit to GSDP ratio has come down to (-) 1.06 percent of GSDP during 2012-13 as compared to 1.43 percent in 2011-12," Gogoi said.

    

Also, the interest payment to total revenue receipts has gone down to 6.87 percent in last fiscal from 18.62 percent in 2003-04, he said.

    

Gogoi further said that the state government will also revise salaries of its employees in line with the seventh pay commission, which has already been constituted by the Centre.

    

"Due to these developments and other unavoidable circumstances, we will have to be extremely careful and avoid all wasteful expenditure and tap every possible revenue earning sources," the Chief Minister said.

    

The state government will present its full budget for 2014-15 only after the Centre unveils its full budget for the next fiscal post the Lok Sabha elections.

    

"To defray the obligatory and other necessary expenses, I seek vote-on-account on the demand for grants for an aggregate amount of Rs 28,467.20 crore for the period from 1st April 2014 to 30th September 2014," Gogoi said.

(Agencies)

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Law and order improving in Assam: Gogoi

On January 29, ten persons were killed by unidentified men inside the forest along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.    

"The fear factor among the people has gone. We have been able to instill a sense of security in people's mind," Gogoi told the Assembly.

Stating that many militant organisations like ULFA and NDFB had come forward for dialogue, Gogoi said continuing development was needed for peace.

"Unless there is an improvement in law and order, the state cannot grow and vice-versa. If development stops, insurgency will grow again because the root of the problem is still there," he said.

Gogoi said Assam's woes started from 1977 and the state gradually moved backward, while rest of the country marched ahead.

"But we have improved. We are getting funds from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, besides assistance from the Central government. Investors are coming in. We are giving salaries on time," he said.

On erosion, he said that there was urgent need to reclaim the land to rehabilitate affected people.

"Erosion is a big problem. Every year around 8,000 hectare are eroded. So far, over four lakh hectare have been claimed by erosion," the Chief Minister said.

"We are taking the erosion problem very seriously. We are talking to the Government of India," he said, adding the state received around Rs 27,000 crore under the 13th Finance Commission to address the problem.

(Agencies)

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