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 A STAFF REPORTER: Guwahati, Sept. 19: The Assam Accord implementation minister Bhumidhar Barman today said fencing along Assam-Bangladesh border will be completed by next year.

Barman said the central government agencies — National Build Construction Corporation Ltd and National Projects Construction Corporation Ltd — have informed the state government that fencing along the entire stretch of the Assam-Bangladesh border would be completed by March 2010.

“The government has also asked its public works department to expedite the process of fencing the border. We are closely monitoring the work and hope to meet the deadline,” he said.

India shares over 4,096 km of boundary with Bangladesh, of which 263 km is with Assam.

Admitting that Bangla-desh has encroached on some land on the Assam side of the border, the minister said a joint border work group, comprising Assam and Bangladesh government officials, is currently conducting a survey to sort out the issue.

“According to reports, Bangladesh has encroached on 189.06 acres of land in Goroibari in the Dhubri border area and 299 acres in Karimganj district,” Barman said.

The All Assam Students’ Union, however, was not convinced by Barman’s words. Sammujjal Bhattacharyya, the AASU advisor said both the central and state governments have failed to meet border-fencing deadlines in the past.

“We have not taken Barman’s statement very seriously. The AASU demands that the Assam-Bangladesh border fencing be carried out on a war footing and completed within a month,” Bhattacharyya said.

Barman also announced a 100-day action plan to bring about various changes in the land and revenue department. Under the plan, offices of all revenue circles and sub-registrar offices would be computerised to keep all records regarding land allotment in order.

Computerisation would do away with corruption of employees at sub-registrar offices and maintain transparency.

Barman said the government would finalise the Assam Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill in the next 100 days. He said the Bill aimed at stopping the growing menace of land grabbing in different parts of the state.

“We hope to table the Bill in the winter session of Assam Assembly to make it an Act,” he said.

Barman said the government would allot land to the landless in the char areas.