Gogoi white paper compares NDA, UPA performances

Guwahati, March 17 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Monday said Assam faced gross injustice during the period when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was in power in New Delhi.

Gogoi published a white paper Monday to highlight the performances of the BJP-led NDA government and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

He said it was during the UPA government's tenure that Assam received most of the funds and packages for development.

"The annual plan size of Assam during the NDA's tenure was Rs.1,521.28 crore (2000-01). The plan size at present is Rs.12,500 crore. During NDA's term in 2000-01, Assam received only Rs.13,280.86 crore from the 11th Finance Commission while we received Rs.57,832.70 crore under the 13th Finance Commission," Gogoi said.

"Similarly, during the NDA's rule, only Rs.27,296 crore central funds were transferred to Assam through state governments. However, the amount went up to Rs.1,42,881 crore when the UPA government was in power," he said.

Gogoi added the central transfer of funds through central agency during UPA government's time is Rs.47.739.38 crore compared to Rs.4,792.33 crore when NDA called the shots in Delhi.

"During the first three years (1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01) of the NDA government, 978 civilians were killed and 244 security personnel were killed in Assam. However, in the past three years of the UPA government (2011 to 2013), only 23 civilians and 114 security forces were killed in the state," he said.

"Employment in government sector in Assam also increased during the UPA government's tenure. While the government sector witnessed 3 lakh employments during the UPA's term, it was only 2,488 during the NDA reign," he pointed out.

"When the state was facing natural calamities like floods, the then NDA's prime minister did not find time to visit Assam. On the vexed foreigners' issue, the NDA did not initiate any concrete steps to stop infiltration," he said.

Gogoi also said there has been a sea change on the road, rail and air connectivity now compared to the works sanctioned by the NDA government. "More than 23,000 km of roads and 3,500 bridges have been constructed in the state while seven new bridges over the Brahmaputra river have been sanctioned by the UPA government," he added.