‘Assam plagued by challenges despite being represented by ex PM

PTI
LAKHIMPUR (ASSAM) , JANUARY 6

Union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani alleged that Assam is plagued by multiple challenges despite being represented by a two-time Prime Minister in the Rajya Sabha.
“Assam is a state which had sent former UPA Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the Rajya Sabha. It should not have been plagued by various challenges it is facing now,” Irani told a public rally here.
She alleged that Congress had failed to do much for the state during the last six decades and claimed that the “initiatives undertaken by BJP for the region during the last one and a half year was for all to see”.
“The year 2016 is going to be decisive for Assam. The lotus (the BJP symbol) will bloom in the state after the assembly elections, ushering in change, development and progress,” she said.
The people had given a massive mandate and strength to BJP in the last Lok Sabha polls, giving it an oppurtunity to serve the people under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Irani said. “Give BJP a chance in Assam also and just see how we serve the people to bring development here. The BJP government at the Centre is committed to bring about development and progress through education, skill development, employment, agriculture and industry,” she added.She urged BJP workers to apprise the people of the state about various schemes initiated by the Prime Minister since he assumed office and how these schemes were all set to change the quality of their lives.
The Minister, who also inaugurated a ‘Kendriya Vidyalaya’ here, said the “decision to set up the school was taken during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure and realised under Modiji’s leadership”. She further announced that all NCERT and CBSE school books are now available free in a mobile app under the Prime Minister’s E-Pathshala scheme and party workers must ensure that parents and their children are made aware of these facilities. .
Referring to Lakhimpur, the Union Minister said though it means “the town of Goddess of Wealth Laxmi, but we find that all youths after acquiring their education are forced to leave their homes in search of employment”.
“Employment is possible only when there is infrastructure and skill development which is possible under the leadership of Modiji,” she said.
Railways, road and electricity are the key infrastructural facilities required for development and the BJP government has successfully connected Lakhimpur with Guwahati with the broad guage railway line, the minister said.
People should be also made aware of the Prime Minister’s successful Jan Dhan Yojana and Suraksha Bima Yojana along with the other schemes initiated by the government, she added.
She also appealed to party workers to convince people to come out of their homes during the polls.