Honble Executive Members and MACs of NCHAC,
Deputy commissioner Sri Barun Bhuyanji, Sri. Bedanta Mohan Rajkuwa ji SP Dima
Hasao, Brig. SK Jha Commander 22 sector Assam Rifles, Cl. DS Rupal, C.O. 107
Gorkha Terriers, Col. Rk Singh, CO 43 Assam Riffles, Sri Pradip Pujari Comdt.
5th AP.Bn. Sontilla, PS(T) PS(N) of NCHAC all officers staffs and employees of
the Council, The Armed Forces, Dist. Administration, Police, GBs, Mujaris,
Members of NGOs, Civil Societies, Apex Bodies, Students Ladies and Gentlemen /
Bhaiyo Beheno.
On this 68th Independence Day of our beloved
Nation at the foremost I, on behalf of the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council, would
like to pay homage and salute all the great leaders and martyrs who have
sacrificed their everything for our freedom. As is written in the War cemetery
in Kohima “for your tomorrow we have sacrificed our today” and rightly said so.
Mahatma Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Ch Bose, Rani Laxmi Bai, Dr B R Ambedkar, Maulana
Abul Kalam Azad etc needs our salute everytime we celebrate our Independence
day or Republic Day. Apart from them we should also pay our homage to our
freedom fighters like Veer Sambhudan Phonglo, Joya thaosen, Jadunong, Rani
Gaidilui, Durga Mallah, Chenjapao Doungel and many more who are lesser known
but nevertheless played a major role in the freedom struggle.
Mahatma Gandhji and other fore fathers of our
independent India had envisaged a free India and the people being self –
sufficient and not dependent on the Government of the day. Have we achieved
this today??? From child birth to death people are dependent on the council and
its leaders. Gaari bhaara and everything have become a daily affair. Some are
genuine but some are simply not. People have become used to easy life, easy
money hard work have become a far cry. The political leaders are expected to
help their voters in everything and yet they are expected to be not corrupt.
The Council is simply to implement the schemes of the Government for which we
have certain degree of Autonomy.. see p-3
Independence Day Speech of CEM Debojeet
Thaosen on 15 August, 2014
However in the recent past the council has
been used as an ATM by many high as well as low. This is definitely not the
independent India that our fore-fathers had imagined.
For a healthy and development of a society
independent strong and constructive opposition, civil societies, NGOs and other
organisations are required. But what do we have here?? Most of the NGOs the 1st
day they are formed they turn to the council for funds. How can you be called
Non- Governmental – organisation when you are dependent on the Government from
day one itself?? How can you be independent? We have a lot of students unions
but most of them hardly raise any students related issues but will rather take
up all other issues including political issues. Their leaders will roam from
office to office harass the officers for contracts and supply. Some social
organisations hardly do any social works. They rather have inclination towards
a political party and take up political issues. The opposition today is simply
to sit tight and criticise each and everything meaninglessly and take credit
for everything done by us. Once again I say that healthy opposition and
criticism we welcome whole heartedly which we believe is very necessary for
healthy development of a society.
Today it has become a trend to blame just
about anything on the council. It is to such an extent that even if its raining
some people / organisations will immediately blame the council. All these
destructive attitude needs to be stopped and a positive and constructive
thinking is urgently required.
The biggest challenge that the Council is
facing today is the salary issue of the employees of the Normal Sector of the
Council. The present Council is not responsible for creation of the said
problem. However being in the council we are not into the blame game but rather
we have taken it up as a challenge to solve the problem permanently and God
willing we shall succeed in doing so. This is a grave and sensitive issue. No
one should play politics with this matter. It is not the problem of the
employees alone. It is the problem of the council as a whole. We have to find a
solution together. The problem was there from before but earlier the
development funds could be diverted to pay the salaries. But after the arrest
of Mohet Hojai the diversion has been stopped and we all know why mohet was
arrested and because of whom. All the funds collected by the council through
its normal sector are being used to pay salaries. Yet it is not enough to pay
the salaries regularly. Till 2010 the revenue collected by the council used to
be about 6-12 crores. Since 2010 it has increased steadily and last year we
have collected about 20 crores but we are still short of about 30 – 40 crores.
We are thankful to the Government of Assam
for helping us out from time to time. Even this time Sri Tarun Gogoi has
sanctioned amount to clear the pending salaries and also directed to find a
permanent solution to the problem. We are very thankful to Sri Tarun Gogoiji
and also Sri Khorsing Engtiji. I am very hopeful that by the end of this year
we will find a permanent solution to the salary problem and also increase the
DA of the employees to 100%.
At the same time we warn all those employees
who absent themselves unauthorisedly that we shall be taking departmental
action against them.
In 2010 the Council was handed over to us in
the worst shape ever in the history of the Council since 1952. However the day
we leave this council in the hands of our successor we shall hand over the
council in the best ever shape that the people have seen since 1952 and thats a
promise.
The NHAI roads of Haflong – Jatinga and Jatinga
– Harangajao is in a very deplorable condition. The railways have still got a
long way to go to complete the construction of BG rails. The real problem will
start when the megha blockage starts from sometime in October this year. I am
taking up these issue as and when I get a chance to do so with the authorities.
I urge upon the opposition leaders particularly the BJP to take up the matter
seriously and sincerely with their Ministers and Ministries in Delhi.
We are different tribes and communities living
in Dima Hasao together peacefully through the ages. Let us pledge that we
continue to do so in the future as different flowers in a garden making it
beautiful.
There are anti-social elements who are
constantly trying to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of our district. However
the Law enforcing authorities including the police and the armed forces have
been very successful in dealing with the situation with a strong hand. And let
me tell you that development of a society is not possible at all without a peaceful
atmosphere.
In month of July I along with my counterpart
Shri Tuliram Ronghang, Hon’ble CEM of KAAC along with the members of the
Executive Committee had visited Union Minister of State for Home Affairs of
India, Shri Kiren Rijiju, and requested for a special review meeting on the
implementation of MoS. We are hopeful of witnessing the positive interest from
the state as well as the centre regarding the process involved for
implementation of MoS
The tradition of frequent bandhs called by
different organizations not only causes great harassment to the normal life of
citizens including students, patients, poor people dependent on the daily wages
and such others, but also disrupt normal economic activities of the district
resulting in loss of poor man days income. I appeal to all concerned not to
call and not to respond to such Bandhs. Our Government will also deal sternly
with all Bandhs.
All the departments of the council have been
doing well. If we look back a few years back then we see that the deptts even
to do their normal functions was difficult owing to the law and order
situation. Officers and staffs couldn’t stay in their offices and place of
posting even in Haflong. Today things have improved and apart from their normal
duties and functions the deptts have performed exceptionally well and also done
some creative works.
In health sector various health & family
welfare programmes are functioning in Dima Hasao district with the aim of
eradication/reduction of fatal diseases, reducing maternal and infant death and
providing free health care services to all people of this district and thus
making health care more accessible. Many new initiatives have been undertaken
in the year 2013-14 such as setting up of Model Hospital at Langting under NHM.
Upgradation of the infrastructure of Haflong Civil Hospital, Maibang CHC and
Umrangso CHC. Certain facilities such as Cover for Hospitalization Expenses of
Rs. 30,000/- per family per annum on a family floater basis up to five family
members under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna. So far 3168 number of families has
enrolled.
The department of Forest & Environment
has taken various activities and works works such as Arboretum cum Eco-Park at
Langting, beautification and plantation drive in existing children parks, gardens,
fountain and hanging bridge at Haflong and gardens were created in some of the
colleges in the district. Rehabilitation measures of the degraded forests have
also been one of the tasks.
Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Dairy
Development sector in Dima Hasao has introduce various beneficiary oriented
schemes, to assist the poor farmers through distribution of livestock to thrust
out the poverty from the society of district. One of the remarkable works of
this department has been the starting up of the Town Milk Supply Scheme at
Mahur, to provide ready market to the Milk sellers and to provide pure,
hygienic and sterilized milk and milk product to the public of Mahur, Maibang,
Harangajao and Haflong.
To make the nation strong the improvement of
the rural sector is very vital. Over the years the District Rural Development
Agency (DRDA) has been implementing various schemes under different centrally
sponsored rural programmes with a total of 75% increase in fund utilisation as
compared to previous financial year. Last year under INDIRA AWAAS YOJANA (IAY),
1,419 numbers of houses were constructed to provide shelters to the BPL
families free of cost. Various other schemes for assistance of old age pension,
Annapurna schemes, etc are carried out benefiting many.
Irrigation Department in Dima Hasao District
is functioning with a motive to supply irrigation water to the paddy fields
even to the remotest area of this hills district to help farmers in modern way of
cultivation. I am happy to announce that on motivation of the department, the
tendency of Jhum cultivation has been decreased and thrust for Wet cultivation
through irrigation has been increased among the farmers. With the initiative of
the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council, Haflong, 8 (eight) Nos. of minor irrigation
schemes under South N.C. Hills Division (Irri) Haflong has been approved under
AIBP by the MOWR, Govt. of India during this financial year of 2014-15, with an
estimated cost of Rs. 9.10 crores (nine crores & ten lakhs) Only and
estimated potential of 645 Hect.
In the education sector our students are
doing exceptionally well. The credit goes to the education deptt. Yet a lot is
required to be done and we are taking all steps to improve the education
scenario in the district.
A polytechnic institution is under
construction near Gunjung and we hope to receive the sanction for an
Engineering college for our dist.which we plan to set up in Diyungmukh.
The Department of Sericulture has done
exceptionally well during the last few years giving emphasised on sustainable
economic development, mainly to women folk through various schemes in every
year. The department has distributed silkworm rearing equipments among 300
beneficiaries to support marginal rearers for higher production of cocoons last
year. it is a matter of great pleasure that a new scheme sponsored by the
“Central Silk Board, named “Catalytic Development Programme” is being
implemented in the district covering 30 Nos. beneficiary in Eri sector. Through
this programme a rearer family will be directly benefited by creation of 1 Acre
silkworm food plantation and one low cost rearing house.
In Social Welfare Department under Women
Welfare (Vocational Training-cum-Rehabilitation Centre) Training Centres
functioning for imparting training in small Trade like Tailoring and Knitting
under the direct supervision of the qualified instructor who are paid Rs.3000/-
p.m. Five Centres have been setup at Lungkhok, Dibarai, Bethel, New Sangbar and
Jatinga during 2013-14.
The PWD deptt has also done well. The DD Road
has been black topped to a great extent. By the end of this year all the major
roads in the dist. Will be good and we shall also concentrate on village roads
giving connectivity to the villagers.
Our dist has got ample scope for tourist
attraction. Hence the tourism dept.has taken several initiatives and also
established infrastructures for developing the tourism prospect of the dist.
The town and country planning deptt.has also
taken up many projects to improve the infrastructure in the major towns of Dima
Hasao. Yesterday we inaugurated a beautiful waiting shed near Donbosco and
dedicated the same to the parents and guardians waiting for their children. I
would like to appeal here that the same should not be misused in any way by
anyone at anypoint of the the day or night.
The PHE Maibang division has done a
remarkable job. A gravity line started 16 years ago has been completed thus
solving the water problem of maibang town to a great extent. Work is also going
on in full swing to improve the water supply in Haflong area and by the end of
this year we hope that the water supply in Haflong will improve to a great
extent.
For the interest of fish eaters of Haflong
the Fishery dept.has started a fish outlet in Haflong along with cold storage
for providing quality fish at low price. All are requested to take full
advantage of the facility.
We shall be coming up with several schemes
and projects which are beneficial for the people of the dist.and especially the
poor rural masses.
Likewise all our depts. Have done their jobs
very well and I Congratulate them and their respective EMs. And I hope they
will continue to serve the people in the same way with a smile on their face.
Our motto is not to speak before completion
of a job undertaken and to publicise them only after completion of the job. We
have adopted a policy of less talk and more work. Our work should speak for us
and not our words.
On this 68th independence day let us resolve
to live in peace and harmony and do our respective part in life to make a
better society.
JAI HIND.
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