Congress Demands CBI Probe into Garukhuti Agriculture Project Allegations
Call for Investigation into Project Mismanagement
On June 3, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) urged for a CBI investigation regarding alleged corruption and mismanagement within the Garukhuti Multipurpose Agriculture Project. Senior Congress leader Ram Prasad Sarmah highlighted significant discrepancies between the statements of Padma Hazarika, the project's chairman, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Sarmah pointed out that the project spans over 77,000 bighas of agricultural land, with an investment nearing Rs 25 crore. He expressed that after Hazarika received Cabinet status and substantial public funds were allocated, there were high expectations for the project to aid the citizens of Assam and create job opportunities. Both Sarma and Hazarika had previously asserted that milk production from Gir cows in Gorukhuti would satisfy the dairy needs of Assam. However, Sarmah criticized the project for failing to deliver on its promises, alleging a significant misuse of public funds and political interference.
He further accused several ministers and MLAs of enriching themselves through the project, holding the government accountable for the squandering of public resources.
Bedabrata Bora, chairman of the APCC Media department, raised concerns about the procurement process for 300 Gir cows from Gujarat via the NDDB, claiming it was riddled with irregularities. He questioned why NDDB was tasked with this responsibility and who would be held accountable for the deaths of the cows.
Bora demanded a judicial inquiry, asking when the Gir cows were first delivered to the Garukhuti project and why 90 of the cows were offloaded at Rangiya station. He expressed concern over the distribution of cows to ministers and BJP leaders without public notice or a tender process, questioning the sustainability of the project given the low milk yield reported by a BJP worker who purchased one of the cows.
He noted that local breeds and Jersey cows typically produce more milk, accusing the project leadership of concealing the truth from the public.