Guwahati, Feb 18 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday said the peace talks between the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the government could be the beginning of a new dawn of peace and prosperity in Assam.
‘I am very happy that the peace process with the ULFA leaders has begun, and I am confident that it is by way of dialogues alone that vexed political and economic problems can be resolved. The ULFA peace talks are a very positive thing to happen for Assam,’ the prime minister, who is a Rajya Sabha member from the state, said.
Manmohan Singh said this after conferring the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed awards to noted journalist M.J. Akbar and well-known social worker and Gandhian from Assam Hem Bharali.
‘I would say that Assam has witnessed a quantum jump in the overall progress of the state,’ Akbar said after accepting the award that consisted of a citation, gifts and a cheque for Rs.200,000.
The prime minister also laid the foundation stone of the Rs.1,600 crore Guwahati Water Supply Project at the same function.
‘I hope the water supply project would be able to mitigate the woes of the people of the capital city,’ the prime minister said.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was also present at the function.
Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated an auditorium constructed under his MP Local Area Development Fund at the premier Arya Vidyapeeth School.
The prime minister is also scheduled to meet the council of ministers led by Tarun Gogoi at the Raj Bhawan later in the night to review the progress of various development projects, besides the overall security situation.
On Saturday, Manmohan Singh would lay the foundation stone of the National Institute of Design in the eastern town of Jorhat and then address a public rally.
After that the prime minister would lay the foundation stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Petroleum Institute in the adjoining Sivasagar town and also address another public rally.
The prime minister flies back to New Delhi Saturday afternoon from Jorhat.
