Want to break MLA-contractor link: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

'Minority-dominated areas should have general education, not Madrassa education'

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wants to break the MLAs-contractors and contractors-engineers links for the smooth progress of development work. He also wants to follow the 'saturated model' in development work.

In his reply to queries during the Member's Hour discussion in the Assembly today, the Chief Minister said, "MLAs getting involved in all works in their constituencies is a tendency of sorts. They get involved right from the selection of schemes to giving work to contractors. It has narrowed the jurisdiction of ministers. This tradition is absent in many other states, let alone in the Central Government. Union ministers never hold discussions with MPs in implementing schemes or projects. They do everything themselves.

"Generally, MLAs ask (through recommendations) engineers to allot contracts to some particular contractors. In the event of shoddy road works, we cannot make the officers accountable as they promptly say that the MLAs recommended the names of those contractors. In the case of shoddy works, MLAs also cannot say anything as they are the ones who recommended the contractors' names. So, we need to end this tradition and lay stress on the 'saturated model' in all development works.

"Officials are the ones who should prepare estimates of schemes or projects and get approval from the authorities concerned. In most cases, contractors take the estimates in their hands and move from table to table for approval.

"Large-scale inequalities in the estimated costs of constructions of analogous roads are also glaring. The per km estimated cost of analogous roads differs widely. Why does this happen? We will fix the estimated cost of roads per km. From now, we will focus on district-wise development, not LAC-wise. When a district develops, its LACs also develop."

On the development of minority-dominated LACs, the Chief Minister said, "We will conduct a survey and set up schools and colleges in such areas to raise the literacy rate, especially of girls. Minority-dominated areas should have general education, not Madrassa education. We will follow this model in the tea garden and tribal areas.

"The government will do everything to ensure the inclusion of Charaideo Maidam in UNESCO's Heritage list. It is in UNESCO's probable Heritage list. Charaideo was the Capital of the Ahom Kingdom for 145 years. We have formed three expert committees to recommend measures to ensure UNESCO's Heritage tag to the Maidam. We are working as per experts' advice. Experts say that Charaideo Maidam has every possibility to get UNESCO's Heritage tag."

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