**Executive Summary**
This document is an English rendering of a speech by the Prime Minister on March 13, 2026, concerning the launch of various development projects in Kokrajhar, Assam, via video conference. The speech highlights the inauguration of projects worth over ₹4,500 crore, with a specific allocation of over ₹1,100 crore for Bodoland roads, as part of the "Assam Mala" initiative.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Development Projects and Funding:**
* Foundation stone laying and inauguration of projects worth over ₹4,500 crore for regional development.
* Over ₹1,100 crore allocated for road development in Bodoland as part of the "Assam Mala" initiative.
* Launch of Kamakhya-Cherlapally Amrit Bharat Express and Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Express to boost trade and tourism.
* **Infrastructure Development in Bodoland:**
* Groundbreaking ceremony for 6 important road projects in the B.T.R. region.
* Major steps taken to strengthen rail connectivity, including a railway workshop to serve as a logistics center.
* Ongoing work on the rail line connecting to Bhutan and modernization of stations.
* Kokrajhar is now a stop for Vande Bharat and Rajdhani Express, indicating improved connectivity and potential as a trade center.
* **Cultural Preservation and Recognition:**
* Appreciation for the Bodo society's preservation of its language, culture, and traditions, including the spiritual tradition of Bathou and the festival of Baisagu.
* Ensuring respect for the Bodo society's faith and traditions at the national level, with special assistance for the development of places of faith.
* **Governance and Promises:**
* Emphasis on the BJP-NDA government's continuous work for the preservation of Assam's heritage and rapid development.
* Fulfillment of promises made under the 2020 agreement, including granting Bodo language Associate Official Language status.
* Provision of a special development package of ₹1,500 crore for Bodoland.
* Establishment of a medical college in Kokrajhar and construction of another in Tamulpur.
* Rehabilitation and mainstreaming of approximately 10,000 youths who had given up weapons.
* **Critique of Congress and Infiltration Concerns:**
* Allegations of Congress betraying Bodoland for decades with false promises and paper agreements.
* Criticism of Congress for creating community rifts and for alleged ties with infiltrators.
* Concerns raised about the security of "Roti, Beti, and Maati" due to infiltration.
* Accusation that Congress did not provide legal land documents to original inhabitants and handed over tribal land to infiltrators, leading to population imbalance in districts like Dhubri and Goalpara.
* Praise for the campaign led by Hemanta ji to reclaim land from infiltrators and for providing legal land documents to Assam's original inhabitants.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: People of Kokrajhar and Bodoland Region**
* **Impact:** Will benefit from significant infrastructure development, including improved roads and railway connectivity, leading to enhanced trade, tourism, and economic opportunities. Cultural preservation efforts will ensure the respect of their traditions. Rehabilitation programs offer a path to mainstream for former militants.
* **Action Required:** None explicitly mentioned for this stakeholder beyond acknowledging the development projects and participating in elections.
**Stakeholder: Government of Assam and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC)**
* **Impact:** Directly involved in the implementation and oversight of the development projects announced. The success of these projects will reflect on their governance.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing development projects as outlined and work towards the rapid development of Assam and the Bodoland region.
**Stakeholder: Farmers**
* **Impact:** Will be able to reach bigger markets more easily with improved road and trade connectivity, potentially increasing their income.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the improved infrastructure for trade and market access.
**Stakeholder: Union Government (BJP-NDA)**
* **Impact:** Will be credited for initiating and funding major development projects, fulfilling election promises, and addressing issues like infiltration.
* **Action Required:** Continue the "double-engine" governance model for the preservation of heritage and development of Assam.
**Stakeholder: Congress Party**
* **Impact:** Faces criticism for past actions and alleged ties with infiltrators. The speech urges for the electorate to "punish" the Congress in upcoming elections.
* **Action Required:** No specific action is required from the Congress party as per the document; rather, they are the subject of criticism.
Key Entities Referenced
Bodoland Territorial Council: A self-governing territorial council in Assam, India, responsible for the development of the Bodoland region.
Assam Mala: A road development program in Assam focused on improving road connectivity.
Bodo Peace Accord: An agreement signed to bring peace and development to the Bodoland region.
Sixth Schedule: A schedule of the Indian Constitution that provides for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Kokrajhar: A city in Assam, India, central to the development projects and discussions in the speech.
Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM's speech during the
launch of various development projects in
Kokrajhar, Assam via VC
Posted On: 13 MAR 2026 4:48PM by PIB Delhi
Khulumbye Kokrajhar!
Friends,
Due to bad weather, I am unable to come to Kokrajhar. I apologize to all of you. It has been possible to
communicate with you from here in Guwahati; I had set out from Delhi to come to you, but I had to land
in Guwahati itself, and now from Guwahati, I am having your darshan and also talking to you. Associated
with this program, the Chief Minister of Assam, brother Himanta Biswa Sarma ji, my colleague in the
Union Cabinet Sarbananda Sonowal ji, the Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council
Hagrama Mohilary ji, the Governor of Assam present with us Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya ji, Ministers
of the Assam Government, MPs and MLAs, all representatives of the B.T.C., all senior members of
society, and my dear brothers and sisters!
First of all, I respectfully bow to Bodofa Upendranath Brahma ji, Roopnath Brahma ji, and the great
personalities of this land. I am seeing that wherever my sight reaches, only people and more people are
visible, and mothers and sisters have also come in such large numbers to give their blessings. You have
reached there in such a massive number. This love of yours is like a debt upon me. And it has always been
my effort to repay this debt by serving you, by developing this region.
Friends,
Just a few weeks ago I was in Guwahati, where I had the opportunity to become a part of the rich Bodo
culture in the grand celebration of Bagurumba Dahou. It gives me great pride to see that the Bodo society
has kept its language, its culture, and its traditions so well-preserved and nurtured. Whether it is the
spiritual tradition of Bathou or the festival of Baisagu, all these further strengthen the cultural power of
India.
Friends,
The BJP-NDA double-engine government is also working continuously for both the preservation of
Assam's heritage and the rapid development of Assam. Today, in this program itself, the foundation stone
laying and inauguration of projects worth more than four and a half thousand crore rupees have taken
place for the development of this region. Out of this, an amount of more than 1100 crore rupees is going to
be spent on the roads of Bodoland. From the third phase of this campaign, Assam Mala, the road
connectivity of Assam will become even more empowered.
Friends,A short while ago, I also had the opportunity to flag off the Kamakhya-Cherlapally Amrit Bharat Express
and the Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Express. From all these projects, you will not only get facilities, but
trade and tourism will also get a boost. Through this, the produce of farmers will be able to reach big
markets easily. I congratulate all of you very much for these development projects.
Friends,
This entire region, including Kokrajhar, had suffered a lot and lost a lot in the past decades. We have seen
those difficult times when only the echoes of bombs and guns were heard in these hills. But today this
picture is changing. Today these hills are echoing with the beat of the 'Kham' and the sweet tunes of the
'Sifung'. Today Bodoland has set out on the path of peace and development. Today Assam is writing a new
chapter of peace and development.
Friends,
Today, the groundbreaking ceremony of 6 important road projects of the B.T.R. region has taken place
here; also, major steps have been taken to strengthen the rail connectivity of this region. The railway
workshop to be built here is going to make this region a big center of logistics. Work is also going on here
on the rail line connecting Bhutan; many stations are also being made modern. Now trains like Vande
Bharat and Rajdhani Express stop in Kokrajhar. This is proof of the better connectivity of Bodoland. With
such projects, Kokrajhar is going to become a big center of trade.
Friends,
I congratulate Hagrama Mohilary ji's team, and Hemanta ji's entire team very much for these works of
development.
Friends,
For decades, this region of Bodoland has been a witness to the betrayal of the Congress. The Congress
kept many generations of Bodoland entangled in false dreams. The Congress governments sitting in Delhi
made paper agreements only for show.
Friends,
When you ousted the Congress from both the country and Assam and gave an opportunity to the BJP-
NDA, we started honest efforts. Where Congress used to create rifts among different communities for its
selfish politics, the BJP worked for permanent peace. With this thinking, the Bodo Peace Accord was
made. In this agreement, for the first time, all major organizations and groups were brought together.
Friends,
There is another truth about Congress; Congress is a shop of false promises. And with one false promise, it
gives four super-lies as gifts. Because, the Congress does not even have the intention to fulfill those
promises. On the other hand, the model of BJP-NDA is before you. Whatever our double-engine
government said, it made an honest effort to make it true, and this is not a matter of today; in 2003, when
the NDA government was in Delhi under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, even then we left no
stone unturned in working with truth and honesty. Under that, the BTC was formed in the Sixth Schedule;
this gave strength to the development of Bodoland. Bodoland University was built here, Central Institute
of Technology was built, Engineering College was built, many such projects came here.
Friends,
Under the 2020 agreement, whatever promises we made are being fulfilled one after another, at a fast
pace, through continuous hard work. The Bodo language has been given the status of an Associate Official
Language. A special development package of 1500 crore rupees was given for Bodoland. Today a medical
college is functional in Kokrajhar and a medical college is being built in Tamulpur. New bridges are beingbuilt here. Today, about 10 thousand youths of Assam who gave up weapons are being taken forward by
joining the mainstream. All those mothers are blessing us whose sons have returned home today. They are
living life with their families in prosperity.
Friends,
Our government has also ensured that the faith and traditions of the Bodo society get respect at the
national level. The traditional faith of the Bodo society, Bathou, has also been given great respect. And
special assistance is also being given for the development of places of faith.
Friends,
There is another big sin of the Congress, which has become a very big threat to the security of the country
and Assam. Which has put the security of Roti, Beti, and Maati (bread, daughter, and land), all three, in
danger. The hand of the Congress has always been with the infiltrators and is even today. For decades, the
Congress did not even give legal documents of land to the original inhabitants here. Congress handed over
a lot of land belonging to the tribals to the infiltrators. In districts like Dhubri and Goalpara, the situation
was very terrible. Due to this, the balance of population in Bodoland was getting disturbed; a crisis began
to come upon the society. I am satisfied that under the leadership of Hemanta ji, a very big campaign to
free the land from the possession of infiltrators is going on in Assam. Here the BJP-NDA government has
also given legal documents of land to the original inhabitants of Assam. I want to express my gratitude
from the heart to the tribal community also for supporting this campaign wholeheartedly. Today I have
come to urge you to give the strictest punishment to the Congress in the coming elections; give a clear
message that now there is no place for infiltrators in the country. The message emanating from Assam will
become the voice of the entire country.
Friends,
We have to continuously speed up the pace of Assam's development and I know that with the blessings of
the people of Assam, the resolution of a developed Assam will surely be realized. With this faith, I again
give many, many best wishes to all of you for the development projects.
Thank you very much.
Namaskar.
***
MJPS/VJ
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