Dispur: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Saturday attended the 72nd foundation day programme of Village Defence Organisation as the chief guest at Talatal Ghar premises in Sivasagar. At the beginning, he paid floral tributes at the portrait of VDP’s founder Harinarayan Barua.
Speaking at the programme, Sonowal referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s remark that ‘The soul of India lives in its villages’ and said that the rural areas, where 84 per cent of the country’s population reside, must be developed to make India stronger. Efforts must be made by all stakeholders to develop the 26 thousand villages through the increase of agricultural production in Assam and humanistic values must be inculcated among the younger generation, he said. He also urged the village defence party (VDP) volunteers to dedicatedly work for making their villages safe and crime-free.
The Chief Minister asserted that state government has been able to achieve its target of a corruption free, infiltrator free, terrorism free and pollution-free Assam to a great extent and for that reason, people of the state have been able to live a peaceful and secure life. The crusade against corruption has brought transparency in the administration and surrendering of arms by several militant organisations due to state government’s endeavours has brought an environment of peace and development in Assam, he said.
Sonowal called on the VDP volunteers to work for foiling all evil designs of anti-social elements to disturb the peace and harmony in the villages while striving for Gandhi ji’s ideals of Ram Rajya through maintenance of cleanliness in villages. He also informed that the State Government was considering to increase the incentive of VDPs from the present amount of Rs 2500 while directing DG of Assam Police to take steps for erecting a statue of VDP’s founder Harinarayan Barua at Guwahati.
Minister of State for Revenue and Disaster Department Jogen Mohan, Jorhat MP Topon Gogoi, DGP Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta also spoke in the programme which was attended by MLAs Pradip Hazarika, Kushal Duori, Nabanita Handique among others.
