Rs 1000 cr to tackle floods: Gogoi

By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, June 13 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that an amount of Rs 1,000 crore would be spent in flood and erosion control projects in the coming days. He also announced that one lakh jobs would be created in the next three years to tackle the burgeoning unemployment problem. The Chief Minister, who was addressing the ‘State-level Kisan Rally’ at the Khanapara Veterinary College ground, gave an account of the various development projects undertaken by the State Government, especially in rural areas and in the farming sector. Asserting that facilitating easy finance to farmers was a thrust area of the Government, Gogoi said that a project would soon be implemented which would give three per cent subsidy to loans up to Rs 25,000. “Farmers’ welfare is our prime concern and we want to take agriculture to a new high,” he said, adding that land revenue would also be drastically relaxed for farmers. Gogoi said that the per capita income of the State had increased to Rs 22,000 from Rs 13,000 during the AGP regime. “The growth rate is now 8 per cent from the earlier 2.1 per cent. Assam is changing for the better, and the administration that has been made village-oriented is yielding the results,” he said.Revealing that the Centre’s loan waiver had benefited 22 lakh farmers of Assam, Gogoi said that in the coming days would witness sanctioning of more funds to the sector.