Guwahati

Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Friday presented the vision and priorities of the newly elected BJP-led NDA government for the next five years during his inaugural address to the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly, even as opposition parties staged a walkout in protest.

The disruption began within minutes of the governor’s speech on the second day of the Assembly session when MLAs from the Indian National Congress and Raijor Dal entered the Well of the House, accusing the government of ignoring pressing public concerns such as inflation and unemployment while highlighting its achievements.

Congress legislators raised slogans and displayed placards before walking out of the House. The two Raijor Dal MLAs, led by Akhil Gogoi, initially stayed back and continued voicing objections during the speech before also exiting after submitting a memorandum outlining their concerns.

In his address, Acharya described the NDA’s return to power for a third consecutive term as a strong endorsement of the government’s agenda of peace, development and economic stability. The alliance secured 102 seats in the 126-member Assembly.

“This mandate reflects the people’s endorsement of peace, economic stability and inclusive development pursued over the past ten years,” the governor said.

Referring to the peace accords signed with several insurgent groups in recent years, Acharya appealed to ULFA (Independent), the only major outfit yet to join the peace process, to return to the mainstream.

The governor also echoed Narendra Modi’s recent call for austerity and urged citizens to avoid unnecessary expenditure and adopt prudent financial practices.

Acharya welcomed the state government’s proposal to introduce a law on the Uniform Civil Code during the ongoing Assembly session. He said the legislation would promote gender equality, justice and social harmony while safeguarding the traditions and customary rights of tribal and indigenous communities.

On border security, the governor praised the Government of West Bengal for cooperating with the Centre on land acquisition for fencing along the India-Bangladesh border. He said the move would help complete fencing in vulnerable areas, including the strategically important Siliguri Corridor.

“Governments committed to national security are now working in close coordination at the Centre, in Assam and in West Bengal,” he said, adding that stronger border infrastructure would help tackle infiltration more effectively.

Acharya also stressed the government’s commitment to protecting tribal belts, preserving indigenous land rights and strengthening constitutional safeguards for local communities.

Highlighting the state’s economic performance, he said Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) had recorded a compounded annual growth rate of nearly 16 per cent and the state was on track to become a Rs 10 lakh crore economy by 2028-29.

According to the governor, per capita income has more than doubled in recent years, while capital expenditure rose from Rs 13,502 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 26,531 crore in 2025-26.

He said the state had managed to keep its debt-to-GSDP ratio below 25 per cent, well within the permissible ceiling.

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The governor further outlined the government’s plans to generate two lakh jobs, make Assam a power-surplus state, strengthen flood management systems and improve agriculture, healthcare, education and tourism infrastructure.