'I'll pounce like at tiger in you do so'
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked the block development officers (BDOs) and panchayat presidents of Assam to eschew the temptation to take bribes and warned them that he would take strong action if he finds any evidence of corruption on their part.
Sarma issued the warning while attending the Conclave on Utilization of Tied Fund under the 15th Finance Commission Grant, which was organized by the Panchayat and Rural Development (P&RD) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) departments at Srimanta Sankardeva International Auditorium at Panjabari here on Sunday.
The Chief Minister said that Assam must change for the better. He mentioned that funds have come for the PMAY scheme and said, "I will pounce like a tiger if anyone takes the smallest of bribe from any beneficiary. I will open a helpline number and take action on the basis of complaints from the public."
Sarma said that many BDOs and engineers want to remain in areas inhabited by Miya Muslims, such as Lahorighat. He said that he is going to prepare a list of officers who have remained in these areas for a long time and scrutinize their assets.
Talking to the media after attending the conclave, Sarma said that water supply schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) will be completed within 2024 in Assam. He said that out of 65 lakh families in the rural areas, 18 lakh families have already received water supply connections. The water will be supplied free of cost for the first four years and the billing aspect will be formalized later on. He said that 26,000 committees - one in each village of the State - will be formed to oversee the JJM schemes.
Sarma said that by providing har ghar nal jal under JJM, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought about total transformation in rural India.
On the need of literature to provide knowledge to every stakeholder on the operation and sustenance of the Mission, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma asked the implementing departments to publish a handbook. He also sought the cooperation of all stakeholders to extend their cooperation for the successful maintenance and sustenance of JJM for improving the lives of people. He also asked the principal secretary of the P&RD Department, JB Ekka to hold a two-day workshop at the Deputy Commissioner Level to educate all the stakeholders so that the Mission becomes hugely successful in providing drinking water to every rural household in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on regular and long term basis.
The conclave was attended by P&RD Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, P&RD principal secretary JB Ekka, P&RD Commissioner Bikram Kairi, PHE Commissioner and Chairman and Mission Director of the Jal Jeevan Mission Assam, Akashdeep, among others.
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