Guwahati, Apr 12 (KNN) The north-eastern state of Assam has completed its two phase polling and is now waiting for the counting on 19th May. The hilly state, where it is quite difficult for the entrepreneurs to do business, is being ruled by Congress since 2001 under Tarun Gogoi.

The MSMEs in the state seems to be unhappy with Gogoi Government and alleging that not much has been done for the industries since 2001.

Talking to KNN, the President of All Assam Small Scale Industries Association, Arup Kumar Dutta said Gogoi led Congress Government has not done anything for the MSMEs in the state rather they want to shut the existing ones.

He said that we have submitted several petitions with the Government to work on the industrial development of the state but nobody is bothered about it.

They have a monopoly in the state due to which they have developed an ego, hence they don’t listen to us. MSMEs don’t have any infrastructure in the state which should be given to them, the president added.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Centre will continue to work for the development of Assam irrespective of the result of the Assembly polls.

“There are special schemes which are only allotted for the North- Eastern Industries but we don’t get benefits of such incentives,” the entrepreneur said alleging that the benefits have been passed to the big players.

We should get direct benefits without any middle man, added the President.

Meanwhile, R S Joshi, President, Federation of industries & Commerce of North Eastern region (FINER) said, “It’s not that the government has done nothing for the state but much more needs to be done.”

“Whichever government comes to power, they have to work with the industry for the overall development of the state,” Joshi said.

The Centre has sanctioned investment of Rs 1,00,000 crore for developing infrastructure in North East, of which works for Rs 40,000 crore have already been awarded.

Assam recorded more than 82% polling, the highest ever in its electoral history, in the second and last round of the assembly election, signalling possible surprise results in the high-stakes Congress-BJP battle for Dispur. Sixty-one of the 126 seats stretching from the Bodo heartland to lower and central Assam went to polls in the final leg. (KNN/ AR)