Direct cash benefit transfer behind Assam''s poverty alleviation: Himanta

Guwahati, Jul 15 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said direct cash benefit transfer schemes have played the biggest role in reducing poverty in the state and asserted the government aims to bring the multidimensional poverty rate down to a single digit. He also emphasised the importance of industrialisation, agriculture and allied sectors for increasing the state's revenue sources, while stressing the need for a competitive approach in the present federal structure to secure more assistance from the Centre. Speaking during a discussion on the state Budget in the Assembly, Sarma said Assam's multidimensional poverty rate has declined from 32.67 per cent in 2015 to 14.47 per cent now. "Direct cash benefit transfer has played a major role in poverty alleviation in our state, and we intend to bring down the rate to a single digit," he said. "DBT is the way to attack poverty directly. Poverty alleviation can be achieved through development, agriculture, MSMEs, but it will take years," he added. Sarma said studies have shown that welfare schemes such as Orunodoi, Nijut Moina and free foodgrain distribution have made the biggest contribution in reducing poverty in Assam. The chief minister claimed the previous Congress governments failed to reduce poverty as people did not have bank accounts or Aadhaar, and recalled that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had acknowledged that only a small portion of welfare benefits reached the intended beneficiaries. He said the Centre's help in implementing various ambitious projects in the state has enabled his government to undertake transformational work, like the Kaziranga elevated corridor and underground tunnel through the Brahmaputra. "The Budget is a reflection of the double-engine government. Whether it is the Central government or the state, we are one," he said. "To increase the budget size, we need growth. And for it, industrialisation, agriculture and development in such sectors are imperative," he said. The chief minister also stressed the need for a competitive approach in the present federal structure to secure greater assistance from the Centre. Sarma maintained that Assam, which is small in terms of GSDP, has achieved much progress in development indices in the last 10 years, be it Maternal Mortality Rate or promoting girl education and institutional delivery. "Earlier, our rankings or performance in such sectors was way below the national average. But our figures are now close to the all-India average," he added. The chief minister maintained that even during the tumultuous global economic situation due to the West Asia crisis, the state government gave its employees 60 per cent dearness allowance, which only a couple of other states in India have been able to do. Alleging that people influenced by Left ideology were opposing development projects, Sarma warned of strict action against those obstructing such works. He said that though Assam is the most developed among the northeastern states, Arunachal Pradesh could very well surpass it in the coming years with projects for 3,000 MW power generation set to be implemented there. He claimed that "government and people are working together there for these projects, while even construction of a small flyover is dragged through controversy for two years here". Sarma also cited the example of Odisha and Gujarat where local area planning is implemented by the governments, wherein specific locations are taken over by the administration, developed and partially handed back to the original owners under pre-agreed conditions. He maintained that if it can be done in Assam also, problems like artificial flooding can be resolved in many parts. Rejecting the opposition's criticism that the budget was a "copy-paste" of previous years, Sarma said it reflected the BJP-led government's continuing vision for the state's development. "People have voted for continuity, meaning they want the same schemes to continue and we are doing it," he said. Seeking support to develop a self-sufficient state, Sarma urged the MLAs to nurture entrepreneurial ventures in their constituencies, cooperate in implementing government projects and provide guidance to youth to succeed in competitive exams. PTI SSG MNB SSG NSD