Guwahati (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked the Congress for “neglecting” Assam and the northeast during its rule, and asserted that the BJP government was correcting “mistakes” the grand old party kept making in the region for decades.

Addressing a rally after inaugurating a new terminal of the Guwahati airport, Modi alleged that the development of Assam and the northeast was never a part of the Congress agenda.

“The Congress gave protection to infiltrators who grabbed forests and land, threatening the security and identity of Assam... The BJP governemnt has been correcting mistakes the Congress kept making for decades in the northeast,” the PM asserted.

Modi said the Election Commission started the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to ensure infiltrators are kept out of the poll process, “but ‘deshdrohis’ (traitors) were trying to protect them”.

“The Centre is taking strict steps to stop infiltration,” he said.

The Prime Minister said development under the BJP’s double-engine government “flows unabated” in Assam, just as the flow of the mighty Brahmaputra river.

“My attachment to the land of Assam inspires me, gives me strength for development of region. Assam and the entire Northeast is becoming the gateway to India’s development. Every state, each region of the country has an important role to play in the mission of a developed India,” Modi said.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.

The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.

The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.

Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.

The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.

"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.

To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.

"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.

The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.

The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.

It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.