Assam to provide housing facility to ‘Harijans’

Guwahati: The Assam Government would be providing housing facilities to all ‘Harijans’, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said today at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Solapara Harijan Housing Colony here.

The Chief Minister said the state government would come up with a comprehensive plan for extending housing facilities to Harijans across the state.

Terming his government as ‘pro-poor’, Gogoi said “the state government has taken up a slew of welfare-oriented schemes and programmes in the past 14 years.

Despite the drastic cut in Central funds, the state government, out of its own resources, has been carrying out development activities.

“We will continue to keep up the tempo of development despite cut in funds by the Central government. The welfare oriented schemes for the poor, marginalised and underprivileged sections of the society will continue,” he said.

The chief minister said that Assam has bagged the coveted ‘India Today State of the States Award’ for Infrastructure Development outclassing several big states.

“The development initiatives have brought about changes in key sectors like road, agriculture, education, health and macro-economy.

From 19, Assam has made a giant leap to No.7 ranking in overall composite development category, Gogoi said.

“However, we will not rest on our laurels and will continue to work on full steam to take the state along the path of growth and development,” he said.

Gogoi claimed Assam has outshone even Punjab in so far as density of road per 100,000 population is concerned.

Assam has 834 km of roads for every 100,000 population which is nearly three times of what Punjab has at 324 km, he said.