Assam opposition demands special package for 'chars' to address development gaps

Guwahati, Mar 7 (PTI) Opposition parties of Assam on Friday demanded a special package for ‘chars’ (riverine vegetative islands), maintaining that residents of these areas lack adequate education, healthcare and other basic facilities.

The government, however, claimed that "development and welfare of char areas are being pursued through various schemes and there was no need for a special package." Congress MLA Abdul Batin Khandakar had moved the resolution in the Assembly urging the government to grant special package to mitigate the development disparity of the char areas.

Claiming that the char areas, inhabited mostly by Bengal-Muslims, "lack adequate basic facilities," Khandakar said there was a need to "increase literacy rate in these parts and ensure more economic activities." He said high population growth rate is also an issue in the char areas, with "low literacy rate being a prime reason for it." Another Congress legislator, Abdur Rasheed Mandal, said there is an "urgent need for a survey of the char areas and special budgetary allocation for undertaking development activities." Supporting him, AIUDF legislator Ashraful Hussain pointed out that the last socio-economic survey was done in 2003.

"Conducting the survey is not a very difficult task. A group of MLAs can get it done with administrative support from the government," he said.

Rafiqul Islam, also from the AIUDF, said lack of land rights in char areas remain a pressing problem.

"The government has said that survey of land will be done under Basundhara 4.0. But only survey is not enough. Land allotment has to be made. And if it is done, half of the problems of the people of these areas will be solved," he asserted.

To address the issue of low literacy and inadequate healthcare facilities, Islam advocated granting special allowance to government officials posted in these departments in char, remote and hill areas.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, replying on behalf of the Minority Affairs minister, said, "funds for some central schemes for minorities were being held up as submission of a large number of utilisation certificates (UCs) were pending since 2008." "We have been working overtime to get the UCs and many have been submitted over the last three years, leading to release of money by the Centre. Once more UCs are submitted, more funds will come," he added.

Patowary said there are varied reasons for non-submission of UCs, many of which are peculiar to the char areas which annually face flood and erosion problems, and the state has requested the Centre for special consideration.

He elaborated on various work being undertaken for minority welfare, including in char areas, in education, health and other sectors.

The minister maintained that there was no need for any special package for char areas as the regular schemes and programmes were ensuring development in these parts.

Following the minister’s reply, Khandakar withdrew the resolution, urging the government to "especially focus on high school drop-out rate and create awareness on population control in the char areas." PTI SSG SSG MNB

Source: PTI