Assam to oppose Centre's ban on recruitment: Gogoi

Assam will oppose the central government's ban on recruitment and will go ahead with filling up the vacant posts in the state, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said Tuesday.

He said the state government Monday decided to fill up about 8,000 vacancies in the police.

"There are also about 53,000 vacancies in various government departments. We are going to fill up those soon," Gogoi told newsmen.

"Assam is concerned over the Centre's decision to impose a ban on recruitment. This is going to affect the state," he said.

"We have decided to create new jobs. We must create new jobs. Otherwise how will 'Achche Din' (good days) come?" he asked.

The chief minister, meanwhile, slammed the 'Gujarat model of development' as propagated by the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, and said the model was not effective in Assam.

Gogoi also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to restrict the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

"I am averse to this as these schemes are benefitting the poor people in the country," he said.

Gogoi accused the central government of not taking seriously Assam's problems of flood and erosion.

"For Jammu and Kashmir, the centre sanctioned funds without any assessment. However, in the case of Assam, they want an assessment first to release funds. Maybe, it is because Jammu and Kashmir is going to polls," he said.