On completion of three years in office, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in May this year pledged to continue pushing the state forward so that it is among the top five in the country. With the GDP for 2023-24 reflecting a 14.7 per cent growth buoyed by a peaceful situation, Assam is on the threshold of becoming almost an economic powerhouse, the chief minister claimed.
ALSO READ: Editorial | Unemployment Haze
Sarma also said going by the current trend, the state's GDP will be around ₹9 lakh crore to ₹10 lakh crore by 2026. The GDP projection for 2024-25 of the state is pegged at ₹6.38 lakh crore. But is only economic growth the criteria for being among the top states in the country?
After 10 PM it is next to impossible to get public transport on the busiest GS Road of the gateway to the Northeast. At 11 PM on 18th July, for instance, there was not a single bus to travel from Lachit Nagar to Paltan Bazar. After begging for half an hour a bike rider provided a lift till Paltan Bazar. From Paltan Bazar again there was not a single bus to go to Lokhra or ISBT. There were some shared taxis which were plying only up to Lal Ganesh with an increased fare. The app-based taxis and bikes were all charging more than what was showing on the fare chart. After managing to reach Lal Ganesh by 12.30 AM, there was no vehicle to go to Jyotikuchi. The shared taxis and app-based taxis did not want to cross Lal Ganesh because of potholes on the entire stretch from Lal Ganesh to Lokhra.
With such a situation in Guwahati, the capital of Assam, how will the state reach the benchmark our honourable chief minister dreamt?
