Dibrugarh: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday participated in the ‘Good Governance Day’ programme in Dibrugarh on the occasion of the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said, “Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s presence is still alive in our hearts. The inspiration and courage that Vajpayee ji instilled in us continue to motivate us. Atal ji’s work always tells us to serve people selflessly and in this, we must be prepared to face challenges, opposition, and failures. But, as he shows, one should not be disheartened; instead, you should believe your heart with a firm determination to work hard for the selfless development of the country. This invaluable contribution of Atal ji, the visionary, is an endless source of inspiration for my life. Vajpayee ji will forever guide us as reside us in spirit in our hearts.”
He added, “Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid the foundation of good governance by establishing democratic values in India. In his tenure as Prime Minister, he worked for the welfare of all sections of society. Initiatives such as education, the Gram Sadak Yojana, and others significantly contributed to the new momentum of development in India.
“Assam and the Northeast received adequate attention under the BJP government led by Vajpayee ji. For the first time, a dedicated approach to the development of the northeast resulted in the establishment of the DoNER Ministry which has accelerated the development of the region. The BJP government brought laurels to the northeast by conferring the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, to Atal ji. It is under Vajpayee ji that the invaluable contribution of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi was accorded Bharat Ratna, a due recognition that was denied by the previous governments of Congress.”
Terming the Congress rule in the Northeast as the dark age of governance, the senior BJP leader, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The Northeast remained neglected for many decades under the Congress rule. It was not until the Vajpayee ji-led BJP government took charge at the center, that no sincere attempt was made to put the North-east region on the fast track of development. Congress rule in the Northeast was the dark age of governance in the Northeast.
“With a committed focus to bring the North-east into the fast lane of development, Vajpayee ji made a pioneering attempt to establish democratic values that resulted in good governance and the welfare of the people. Taking this movement forward, the present BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, government’s initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, PM Kisan, Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma, Jan Dhan Yojana, Skill India, Make in India, Start-up India, Digital India, Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and Jal Jeevan Mission have outlined the blueprint of India’s progress over the past nine years.”
Sonowal added, “To combat corruption, Modi ji has taken a historic step by implementing bank accounts for 50 crore people and transferring funds through the DBT method, making the disbursement of funds more transparent and beneficial. These are sincere attempts by the BJP government to weed out corruption in the system that was nourished under the Congress rule in the country and consolidate the good governance for the welfare of the people of India.”