Kaushik Rai, who has been entrusted with Assam’s Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA), along with the portfolios of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, and Cooperation, has said he intends to work closely with the people of Guwahati with sincerity and commitment to improve the city’s quality of life.
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A two-time MLA representing the Lakhipur constituency in Barak Valley, Rai retained his seat in the recent election with a decisive victory. He defeated Indian National Congress Candidate M. Santi Kumar Singha by a margin of 99,401 votes, strengthening his political standing before assuming the new responsibilities.
As minister overseeing key urban and public welfare departments, Rai now faces expectations around infrastructure development, urban management, consumer protection and service delivery. His role in the Housing and Urban Affairs Department places him at the centre of efforts aimed at addressing several of Guwahati’s long-standing civic challenges.
In an interview with Animesh Deb of GPlus, Rai discussed a broad range of issues linked to governance and public administration. Among the topics covered were plans and measures to mitigate flash floods in Guwahati, his long-term vision for the city’s growth and development, and the systems being considered to monitor and regulate the prices of essential commodities. He also spoke about accountability in public office and shared his approach to handling criticism, public feedback and backlash while carrying out his responsibilities in government.
EXCERPTS:
Animesh Deb (AD): What are the things or aspects have you reviewed after assuming office as the minister of Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA)?
Kaushik Rai (KR): DoHUA is a new department for me. The day I was given the opportunity to work in this department, I immediately sat down with the officials and discussed various aspects of its functioning.
The department has several wings, including GMC and GMDA, among others.
We discussed all matters related to public services, including the provision of clean drinking water and measures to mitigate urban flooding.
We also discussed with the officials various ways and means to ensure that services are delivered to the citizens of Guwahati in a smooth and seamless manner.
AD: Guwahati faces urban and flash flooding every monsoon. What instruction have you given in specific to the GMC to deal with it?
KR: We have more than 500 drains in Guwahati, and we need to check whether they are being cleaned regularly. We have super sucker machines, and we must ensure that these are being properly utilised to drain out water. We have a large workforce, and if all of us perform our duties sincerely, I believe we will be able to provide better services to the public.
But of course, there are some challenges. Sometimes, even when it does not rain in Guwahati, water from neighbouring state Meghalaya enters the city, and we are definitely affected by it. Having said that, we will surely do our best.
Work on the Silsako project is ongoing and has not yet been completed 100 percent, but I am optimistic that the people of Guwahati will benefit from it.
I have plans that, under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and with the support and guidance from New Delhi, we will do our best to mitigate Guwahati’s artificial flooding problem.
AD: Guwahati is an important city in northeast and east India. Whenever the city gets flooded, you may have to face public backlash or trolls. Are you prepared for it?
KR: See, I have no control over trolls, nor am I in a position to stop them. People get trolled for various reasons, but I can assure you that I will give my 100 per cent to serve the public.
Even after that, if I face criticism or trolling from the public, I will humbly accept it as a blessing (ashirwad), so that I can learn from it and serve them better in the future.
AD: Personally, do you have a specific vision for the city of Guwahati?
KR: It is still early days for me as the minister of DoHUA. Guwahati is a major city in the Northeast and, for that matter, in the entire country. It is a rapidly expanding city, and in the coming days, we will get a few satellite townships. We have been working to make the city more beautiful and cleaner, so that people visiting from outside can return with a good impression.
AD: Recently, there have been some spike in prices of essential commodities due to the rise in global fuel prices. Do you have any mechanism to monitor the prices of essential commodities?
KR: Yes, prices of fuel globally had risen in the recent past due to the war. We do not have much control over international oil prices. Our duty is to closely monitor the prices of essential commodities to ensure there is no black marketing, hoarding, or shortage supply of goods.
You may have noticed that last year there was no rise in prices. First, there was no war or war-like situation. Secondly, last year we formed a task force in each district to monitor the prices of essential commodities prices and compare them with those in other states.
I take reports from our officials on a daily basis.
AD: Some of the government schemes, including the subsidised sugar, salt, and masur dal, have been stalled in the recent past. When can we expect them to resume?
KR: The Budget Session will begin on July 6. Once the new budget is passed, we will try to resume the schemes from August onwards.
NAFED had supplied food items to us until May 2026, and we have already cleared their pending dues. The Chief Minister has already announced and instructed me to resume the services soon after the budget is passed.