Assam budget session to commence on February 17, aims to unite people, introduce key bills

The upcoming budget session of the Assam Assembly, set to begin on February 17, is expected to be a crucial one, Deputy Speaker Numal Momin said on Friday, February 14. He emphasised that the session would not only address significant legislative matters but also strengthen communal harmony in the state.

"This is an important session which is beginning on February 17... this budget will carry significant importance, and this budget will club together all the people in Assam. As Assam is a diverse state, many communities and religions live in communal harmony. Now, they get an opportunity to see this assembly session near their place. This will boost their morale..." Momin stated.

He also indicated that several key bills are likely to be introduced. "Several important bills are likely to be introduced in this budget session..." he added, without specifying details.

Meanwhile, the state government launched the Online Building Permission System (OBPS) in 32 municipalities across Assam. The initiative was ceremonially introduced by Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah in Guwahati on February 13. 

According to Mallabaruah, the digital system aims to simplify the approval process and offer a smoother service to residents. "The people of the state will get benefits from this citizen-centric service, and the state government has developed this system to provide smooth service to the people," he said.

In a separate development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife of having alleged ties with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI. The Chief Minister raised concerns over the Congress leader's growing interest in defence-related matters following his marriage to a British citizen.

Sarma, in a post on X, pointed to a past interaction between a first-term MP and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India. "In 2015, the Pakistani High Commissioner to India, Mr Abdul Basit, invited a first-term Member of Parliament (MP) and his startup, Policy for Youth, to discuss India-Pakistan relations at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi," Sarma claimed, without directly naming Gogoi.

Responding to the allegations, Assam Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah called for clarity from Gogoi. "The Congress MP should clarify it as what's the truth," he stated.