APCC president Ripun Bora highlights Budget 'failures'

GUWAHATI: APCC (Assam Pradesh Congress Committee) president Ripun Bora has identified 24 promises made in the State Budget for the year 2019-20 that have not been met or met partially, that too, for political mileage.

Addressing the media at Rajiv Bhawan here on Wednesday, Bora said, "The Government promised to pay Rs 700 per month to each of the students who stay in government hostels for 10 months. However, only very few of the students have got the benefits of the scheme, and the rest haven't. "The government promised to extend financial aid to women's self-help groups under the 'Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Jojana'. However, only the self-help groups supporting the BJP got the funds, not others. "The Budget had a plan for 'uberization' of ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) buses. However, a process is afoot to privatize all ASTC buses in the name of 'uberization'. The Corporation had 701 own buses and 1,415 buses operated under it. ASTC needs 1,500 buses, but it has decided to sell 320 buses on the pretext that they are beyond repair.

"The State Government had a decision to form a development council for the indigenous Muslims of the State, besides conducting their socio-economic survey. However till now, the government has not done anything towards that end. "The government had made the promise of reviving Ashok Paper Mill at Jogigopa. However in the Budget, the government betrayed the people of the State by taking a decision to hand over the land of the paper mill to set up a multi-level logistics park.

"The Budget has the promise of setting up a paddy research centre near Guwahati; but, that hasn't been translated into a reality as yet. "The promise of planting trees along 1,000 km on either side of the National Highways in the State has not been implemented as yet. "Under the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana', the Budget promised to extend Rs 50-crore subsidies in fiscal 2019-20. However, only a few of the farmers got the insurance benefits.

"There was a promise in the Budget for the setting up of 23 science centres in as many districts; but, in most of the districts not even land allotment has been done.

"Dhaka and Bangkok flights were operational only for a week in accordance with the 'Act East Policy'. However, that service has been stopped forthwith." On Ajanta Neog's joining the BJP, Bora said that her decision made it clear that she is not a matured politician. She joined the Congress after her husband had been killed by militants, he said.

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