Centre & State Government responsible for implementing BTR Accord: Sonowal

KOKRAJHAR: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday said that the Centre and the State Government were responsible for implementing the BTR Accord signed on January 10 and also said that reaching out to every indigenous tribal family to hear their grievances was the duty of every responsible worker of the party.

Addressing the concluding session of the first delegate meeting of the Assam Tribal Morcha, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Kokrajhar on Wednesday, Sonowal said that the BTR accord was a gift of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish permanent peace and development in the region in all spheres. He said the BJP government, both at the Centre and in the State, were giving maximum attention for the development of indigenous tribal people and giving them their due rights and privileges.

"This land is our land, it is our State and we must have this land. Therefore, we have distributed land pattas to 1 lakh landless indigenous families and another 1 lakh indigenous landless families will be given land pattas across the State by December next," he said, adding that the State Government was trying to translate Modi's 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikash and Sabka Vishwas' mantra by giving equality to all. He said the BJP had launched several spectacular programmes like PMAY houses to BPL families, PMGY roads, medical benefits, farmers' benefits, financial aid to poor families through Jan Dhan Yojana, besides taking economic growth to a new height. He also said that the Government of Assam had also taken up similar programmes for the welfare of people of the State. The BJP government has built three new bridges over the River Brahmaputra and two more bridges, including Asia's longest bridge at Dhubri connecting Phulbari and Dhubri town, will be built, he said, adding that the Government of Assam was looking for setting up a business hub at Jogighopa in Goalpara district, both with land and river routes under Modi's 'Transformation through transportation' policy. He also said that the BJP government had brought massive development in every sector, be it roads, bridges, medical institutions, basic infrastructures, rail and air connectivity within four-and-half years which was could not be done by the Congress government in the last 60 years.

Sonowal said the BJP's Tribal Morcha, Mahila Morcha, Youth Morcha, Minority Morcha, SC and OBC Morcha should be active enough and must reach the poor to eradicate their problems. He called upon the Tribal Morcha leaders and workers to go to 17 lakh tribal families, and note down their problems and report to the government by November 15 so that the government could take initiative to solve their problems.

Sonowal said the BJP gave priority to the development of science and technology and called upon the youths to embrace it. Giving priority to self reliance, he said everybody should stress sustainable development. He called upon the farmers to adopt scientific approach. He also said that the BJP government desired equal development with dignity.

The meeting, which was chaired by Haren Deory, president of State ST Morcha, was also addressed by MP Dilip Saikia, CEM of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, Debolal Garlosa and attended by minister Sum Ronghang, MP Rameswar Teli, MLA Ramakanta Deori and CEM of BJP-ruled autonomous councils. Earlier, the Chief Minister offered prayer at Bathou Thanshali and paid tribute to Bodofa UN Brahma.