GUWAHATI: Ahead of the autumn session of the Assam Legislative Assembly on September 11, the Assam Congress Legislature Party (ACLP) on Tuesday demanded the BJP-led government in the state for a white paper on the decisions taken at weekly cabinet meetings and the reason thereof.
The state cabinet has achieved a milestone of sitting 100 times in the 27 months of the present BJP-led government, in which 1,238 key approvals were made and an impressive 98% of them have been implemented so far.
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“We believe that these cabinet meetings are fooling the people. We doubt the sincerity and seriousness of the government from several decisions taken in the cabinet which are far from public importance and benefits”, ACLP leader Debabrata Saikia said addressing a press conference here on Tuesday.
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“I sent a letter to the chief secretary on December 8, 2022, seeking information on the decisions taken on cabinet meetings held in Dispur and various district headquarters of the state. But He refused to give me a reply. On March 3, state principal secretary of the home and political department, Niraj Verma informed me that there is a restriction on disclosure of the cabinet decisions. But when I further sought information on cabinet decision quoting the statement of Maharashtra information commissioner, he refused to give me reply”, Saikia said.
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“We have doubts about the NRI quote in the MBBS course in the medical colleges. the state cabinet had declared a 10 per cent reservation of seats in MBBS programmes at medical colleges across the state for NRI students. However, the Supreme Court’s order came in response to objections to the Rs 18 lakh per seat cost for NRI medical seat reservation. Following the court’s decision, the state government had to put a stop to the NRI quota as of now”, Saikia also said.
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Saikia added, “The state cabinet also decided to decrease the value of land in tea garden areas. According to this decision, the land value will go up after the acquisition of land by the state authorities and it will be equal to the land value of urban areas.”
This is nothing but a conspiracy. This is a ploy of the government to give benefits to the family of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues for purchase of land at the cheapest rate in tea garden areas”, the Congress leader said.
“I do not understand why the cabinet does not take any decision for revival of the ailing tea industry in the state which entered 200 glorious years. I do not understand why the cabinet does not take any decision on the development of homoeopathic and ayurvedic institutions of the state at a time when the Central government is giving special thrust to this sector. Why the cabinet does not take any steps for the revival of ailing Assam Ayurvedic Products? Why no decision was taken on the regularization of jobs of more than 5,000 drivers, ward boys, ward girls, peon, and safai (sanitary) workers who have been engaged in various medical colleges of the state”, he questioned.
“Considering all these aspects, we demanded the government to publish a white paper on the decision taken in the state cabinet meetings and the reasons for why such decisions were taken in the 100 meetings of the cabinet”, he added.