Law and order situation has improved in Assam: Tarun Gogoi

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said his government has achieved tremendous success in ousting insurgency from the state, resulting in improvement in the law and order situation.

"Most of the insurgent groups in the state are in peace talks with the government. So this is a good sign," Gogoi told reporters here.

Thanking the people for his government completing two years of his consecutive third term, Gogoi said from 412 civilians killed in 2000, the figure had come down to 39 in 2012.

"This showed that the law and order situation had improved. Through development works can the militancy problem be sorted out," he added.

Though Maoist activities were growing recently in the state, Gogoi said the state was alert about it and seven ultras had been arrested in Assam.

The Chief Minister also said the thrust area of his government would be development.

"We wanted to improve the education system. The setting up of new medical colleges and universities in the state is a good sign," he said.

Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was in the fourth position in 2011-12 after Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, as per the economic survey of the Central government.

Growth in the per capita income in the state also stood in the 5th position at the all-India level, he said.

Stating his government was serious about updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Gogoi said the state government does not do it directly but on behalf of the Registrar General of India.

Agreeing corruption still existed in the state, Gogoi said it had been considerably reduced and enquiries were made whenever reports were received against government officials.

Ruling out reshuffle of his cabinet as of now, Gogoi, without directly referring to the reported dissidence in the state Congress, said "disagreements would be there in a big family."