In order to remove the sense of alienation and bring the administration closer to the people, Hailakandi district administration in Assam embarked on a mass contact programme focusing on far-flung areas of the district.
Initiating the mass contact programme at the directive of the Chief Minister, Deputy Commissioner, Adil Khan visited Gutguti, an interior area close to the Assam-Mizoram boundary inhabited by Reang community, with a team of officials on Sunday.
Gutguti under Katlicherra revenue circle in South Hailakandi can be reached after negotiating inhospitable and undulating terrain, rickety bamboo and log bridges.
Apart from Gutguti, members of the Reang community are living in remote areas like Riflemara and Dumcherra under South Hailakandi development block. Around 19,000 people of this community are living in the southern part of Assam along the inter-state boundary.
The DC along with Superintendent of Police, Mohneesh Mishra interacted with men and women of Reang community regarding the problems faced by them.
The Reang community leaders told the DC that the greatest problem being faced by the people is that of road communication and urged him to initiate steps for mitigating their woes. Health, education and drinking water are other problems plaguing the people.
The DC explained to the people that his purpose of coming to the backward village was to get first-hand account of the problems confronting them and find ways to redress their grievances.
“The outreach programme gave him an opportunity to have firsthand experience of a wide range of problems faced by the Reang community”, he said.
The southern tip of Hailakandi district is plagued with problems of extremism and backwardness and Gutguti along with its adjoining villages fall under it.
Lauding the efforts of the DC to connect with the people through the mass contact programme, the SP said it would go a long way in bridging the gap between the people and administration.
The SDO, Katlicherra, James Aind, other senior officials of the administration and district heads of major departments also accompanied the DC.