Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today claimed that corrupt practices had gone down substantially in the state and his government would continue to fight against corruption.
“Due to relentless efforts of the state government, corrupt practices have substantially gone down in the state from 34 per cent in 2005 to 18 per cent in 2017 and this has been possible as a result of collective initiative of the people of Assam”, Sonowal said while launching the ‘Excise Online’, a web portal of the state Excise Department.
He also inaugurated 62 vehicles which will be pressed into service by the field staff of the department for carrying out operations against violations of excise law.
“Corruption results from our failure to eschew the worldly temptations. Allurements may come in different forms, but if we could contain our desires, it is possible to stop corruption”, he added.
He also appreciated the Excise Department for achieving record increase in revenue collection which has gone upto 20.8 per cent and urged the staff to work for dispelling the negative image commonly associated with the department.
He also lauded the initative of the Excise Department for taking the ‘Digital India’ movement further and stated the online initiative would bolster administrative functioning and bring more transparency.
“I appreciate the steps taken by state Excise Department for making PM Narendra Modi’s vision of digital India into reality and hope that this initiative will help in bringing more transparency and accountability into the department”, Sonowal said.
—PTI