New Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Wednesday urged people to render their support to him and his office to ensure the overall development of the state.
Kataria, after being sworn in as the 31st Governor of the state by Gauhati High Court's Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra here, said he will dedicate his life to serving and promoting the interests of the people of the state. "It is an honour to take the oath of office of the Governor of a beautiful state at a place named after the greatest Vaishnavite Saint Srimanta Sankardev who was greatly responsible for the socio-cultural and spiritual opulence of Assam," Kataria said.
The Governor said he has sworn to serve the ideals of the Constitution and will ''certainly carry out responsibilities with utmost honesty and sincerity''. He also conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for choosing him for this position to serve the people of Assam.
Kataria, who was a senior BJP leader, succeeded Jagdish Mukhi who completed his term. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his cabinet colleagues, Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Union minister Ramdas Athawale, senior officials of the state government, and BJP leaders.
Kataria arrived here with his wife Anita on Tuesday, and they were accorded a warm welcome by state ministers and Raj Bhavan officials. Kataria, 78, was the home minister of Rajasthan in the Vasundhara Raje government and a BJP MP in the Lok Sabha prior to his appointment as the governor of Assam. He hails from Udaipur in Rajasthan where he had also held several other portfolios including education and Panchayati Raj. He and Anita Kataria have five daughters.
The chief minister congratulated the Governor after his swearing-in and hoped that under his leadership, the state government would accelerate the growth momentum. ''He brings with him a wealth of experience that holds us in good stead. Looking forward to his wisdom and guidance in helping us take Assam to greater heights of glory," Sarma said.
Before the oath-taking ceremony, Kataria visited Kamakhya temple atop the Nilachal hills here and offered prayers for the welfare of all in the state.
