Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam Cabinet Minister Atul Bora defended state-led tourism projects in Bokakhat on July 13, pushing back against backlash following the arrest of activist Pranab Doley. Doley, a member of the Mising community, faces police questioning after protesting luxury hotel construction near Kaziranga National Park. He claims the project threatens the environment and local rights.
Bora dismissed these concerns as political obstruction. He argued that rising tourist numbers necessitate more infrastructure. "A lot of development work is underway in Bokakhat. Over the last three years, a large number of tourists from across the country and abroad have been visiting the area. As tourist footfall continues to increase, there is a clear need for more hotels and tourism infrastructure," Bora said. The minister noted the state is also building a Tea Museum to boost local interest.
The project sits on eight bighas of state land, with another eight bighas set aside for the museum. Bora maintained that families displaced by development were fully rehabilitated with new homes and land ownership. He stated that the government has already issued land pattas to 30,000 tea garden workers and plans to reach another 6.5 lakh beneficiaries.
Beyond Bokakhat, Bora touted broader state progress. Assam has finished 22 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin scheme. The state now plans to build two lakh more within the next 100 days. To bolster these efforts, the government launched the Lakhimi Mistri scheme, training 5,000 women in masonry, with plans for 5,000 more trainees. These workers will receive official uniforms to mark their contributions to the rural housing mission.
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