GUWAHATI — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that lakhs of youths have been given government jobs in the state and not a single allegation of corruption has been raised.
The entire recruitment process in the state is transparent, clean and inclusive, Sarma asserted at the first passing-out parade of the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) at Dergaon.
"During the Congress rule, an entire qualitative generation of Assam was deprived of government jobs," he alleged.
Sarma claimed that he did an analysis and found that "from 2001-2004, around 30-35 per cent of recruitments in Assam Police were from a particular community".
"The Assam government is now recruiting inclusively from every religion, caste and community in the police and forest guard forces," he said.
असम में लाखों युवाओं को नौकरी दी जा रही है, वहाँ भ्रष्टाचार का एक भी आरोप नहीं है।
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 7, 2024
कांग्रेस के पापों के कारण असम की पूरी एक गुणात्मक पीढ़ी को सरकारी नौकरी से वंचित रखा गया। pic.twitter.com/fpzt7P04II
Sarma urged the newly inducted 940 recruits to carry out their duties with utmost sincerity in saving wildlife and wished them good luck for their new roles.
"In Assam, we have over 26,800 sq km of forests, housing diverse wildlife which we have to protect from illegal activities that are detrimental to our forests. I urge our Forest Protection Force to rise to the occasion and protect our forests," Sarma added.
He said that with the induction of 940 new constables, the strength of Assam Forest Protection Force has more than doubled.
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"Besides more force to fight encroachers and poachers, it is heartening to note that 10 per cent of the new recruits are women," he said.
The total strength of AFPF has gone up to 1,724 from the existing 784. Around 90 of the 940 constables are women.
The third battalion will be comprised of the new recruits, Sarma added.
The AFPF was constituted in 1986 as a force earmarked for the Environment and Forest Department with primary responsibility to protect Assam's forests and wildlife.
Initially formed with a single battalion, the second AFPF battalion came into being in 2011 and the third was formed in 2023.