Sarma held a meeting with deputy commissioners, SPs and other senior officials of government ministries via video conference from Guwahati to review measures taken to enhance road safety, selection of beneficiaries under Orunodoi 2.0, implementation of Amrit Sarovar project and paddy procurement.
Stressing the importance of stringent road safety measures to reduce the number of fatalities, the Chief Minister directed local councils and members of parliament to take strong action to enforce road safety protocols. He asked them to take action against stunt bikes, speeding and drink-driving, and to step up patrols on state highways and key roads across the state.
The Chief Minister emphasized the detailed analysis of road accidents to determine the cause of corrective actions and the implementation of safety measures. He directed the Deputy Commissioner to conduct a regular review of road accidents and identify where accidents occur frequently. He said regional road safety committees must visit all these locations to see the situation first-hand. While directing the Ministry of Transport to prepare an analysis of all accidents that occurred during the year, the Chief Minister directed District Councils to prioritize maintenance and other road-related matters with the state PWD and NHIDCL.
Further calling for an “accident-free New Year”, the Chief Minister instructed regions to set targets to reduce accidents by at least 20 per cent by this time in the coming year. He also directed strict vigilance at picnic sites to ensure no one indulged in drink driving and speeding. The Chief Minister has asked district councils to launch a campaign by Inland Revenue officials to crack down on the illegal sale of alcohol at picnic spots.
The Chief Minister also discussed issues related to the guidelines for selection of beneficiaries under Orunodoi 2.0 during the video conference. He directed regional councils to take action to meet the set targets by April 10 and ensure “one household, one benefit” normalcy through the ongoing selection process.
Discussing matters related to paddy procurement, the Chief Minister said that this is a priority area for the government and districts must step up their procurement efforts. He asked the district committee to take measures to mobilize farmers and widely publicize the method of natural drying to reduce the moisture content of rice so that it can be sold on the market. The Chief Minister also discussed the implementation of the Amrit Sarovar project which will create 2985 ponds in Assam. He directed District Councils to promptly submit all remaining DPRs for the project. .
