Will make Assam one of top five states, immediate focus on COVID: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Sarma said that unless the pandemic is controlled in Assam, cases will not go down in other northeastern states.

Guwahati: Soon after taking oath on Monday (May 10), the new chief minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he aims to make the state one among the top five in the country and that his immediate concern was to get hold of the troubling COVID situation.

"We will start working from tomorrow to achieve this objective," Sarma was quoted as saying by PTI.

"The COVID-19 situation in Assam is alarming. Our daily cases have crossed the 5,000-mark. In our cabinet meeting tomorrow, we will discuss it from all perspectives, and take measures," he said.

He added that unless the pandemic is controlled in Assam, cases will not go down in other northeastern states.

The chief minister said that his government would work to ensure the state doesn’t have to suffer from the annual flood issue.

He further asserted that he would hold discussions with the insurgent groups, especially the ULFA(I), to give up militancy and bring peace in the region.

"I request Paresh Barua to come to the discussion table and resolve issues. Kidnappings and killings complicate problems, not solve them. I hope we will be able to make the underground insurgents return to the mainstream in the next five years," the CM said.

On the NRC issue, Sarma said that his government wants re-verification of 20 per cent names in the border districts of Assam, and 10 per cent in other areas.

"If very negligible error is found, then we can proceed with the existing NRC. But, if there are huge anomalies, I hope the court will take note and do the needful with a new perspective," he said.