Ajanta Neog becomes first ever woman finance minister of Assam

GUWAHATI: Ajanta Neog, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Golaghat, has been alloted the portfolios of Finance and Social Welfare Departments in the chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's newly formed cabinet.

Ajanta Neog has now become the first ever woman Finance Minister in the history of Assam.

Ajanta Neog, along with 12 cabinet ministers, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra here.

Ajanta Neog entered the assembly with Tarung Gogoi led Congress government in the year 2001 from Golaghat constituency. Since then she has been won five consecutive terms which has made her the second longest serving woman legislator of Assam.

Ajanta Neog was a cabinet minister in the Congress led government for three times and held the portfolios like Public Works Department (Roads & Building, NH), Urban Development & Housing Department.

In the year 2015, during Mrs. Neog's tenure as PWD Minister, Assam was adjudged the Best Infrastructure Development State in the big state category in the 13th States Conclave by India Today group.

During that period, Assam registered a 17 per cent increase in the length of pucca road against national average of 4 per cent.

Mrs. Neog had won from Golaghat constituency in the year 2016 as well, when a 'Pro-Modi' wave shattered Congress and the party fell like nine pins infront of the BJP.

Mrs. Neog had tendered her resignation as an MLA from Congress and the party expelled her due to alleged "anti-party" activities

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Though Neog later termed her former party as 'vision less' while speaking to the press.

Ajanta Neog had joined BJP in December 2020 and received party ticket right after, instead of BJP's old candidate Bitupan Saikia, her years long political rival from the same constituency, and won for the fifth time from Golaghat but this time on a BJP ticket.

Many have raised questions after being alloted an important portfolio like finance, which used to be held by Himanta Biswa Sarma previously, as Ajanta Neog, mastered in law from Gauhati University, has no prior experience in the field of finance and economy so far.

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