Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma unveils Roadmap for 2022, makes key announcements on New Year

Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday interacted with the Editors and senior journalists at the State Guest House in Koinadhora. Many expected it to be an informal interaction, however, surprisingly, the Chief Minister came up with some major announcements on the first day of the year.

Setting the agenda straight, the Chief Minister began with the insurgency scenario in the State. Stating that Tribal insurgency has been wiped out, he said that the tribal civil society and youths are to be credited for this. "I won't take any credit, the credit goes to the civil society and the tribal youths who had long suffered because of this and they had long wanted insurgency to end," Dr Sarma said. 

Forecasting that insurgency in the State will end by 2022, when asked what is the last hurdle, he said, "Last hurdle in the peace process is ULFA because all factions of ULFA have not laid down their arms. Talks are on and I have also got to know that Paresh Baruah is also showing genuine interest in the peace process, I hope that 2022 will bring some results."

He, however, stated that the issue of sovereignty is something that the leader of the outfit Paresh Barua is adamantly sticking to and on which the government cannot have talks, he said that a midway will be figured out soon.

AFSPA to be repealed from Assam? 

In another major announcement on the controversial Armed Forces Special Power Act,  he said that the review date of the Acts enforcement in Assam is in the month of April and the State government will take a positive decision (in terms of repealing it from Assam), in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs. He, however, refrained from making any comment on it in regards to Nagaland and said that the Center has already constituted a committee to review it. 

"Army has been withdrawan from the State at large barring four or five districts, so we think that as the situation improves further we can have a positive news in regards to AFSPA," the Chief Minister said. 

Curtail on VIP culture 

2022 will also witness an end to the VIP culture in the State. From cutting down the size of the Chief Minister's carcade by 50%, to the removal of PSOs from politicians, civil administration officers, judicial officers, businessmen, tea garden managers to ex-militant leaders, the Chief Minister made a clear point that the State government is doing away with the VIP culture. From now on, PSOs can be allotted to an individual after threat assessment by the concerned SP of the district for 10 days maximum and by the DGP of the State for a maximum period of one month. The call beyond 30 days for allotment of PSOs will be taken by the chief minister himself who is also the home minister of the State, after due review.

Meanwhile, the first cabinet meeting of 2022 also decided to cut the privilege extended to the ex-Chief Ministers of the State by then Tarun Gogoi government in 2015. As per the cabinet decision taken by the Congress government in 2015, former chief ministers were to enjoy the same security cover for the rest of their life along with a government bungalow. Doing away with it, the Himanta Biswa Sarma cabinet on Saturday decided that from now onwards, former chief ministers will be not entitled to any privileges. This will, however, not be applicable to two former chief ministers of the State Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Sarbananda Sonowal, and will be only applicable to those who will hold the post from now onwards, including the present chief minister.