Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday said frequent visits of union ministers to Assam will not benefit the state unless the central government gives adequate fund for its development.

Gogoi said the regular visits of union ministers were a new trait never witnessed since independence and the state was not benefited from their visits as they were "paying only lip service".

"The central government has turned its back on the existing schemes and programmes. Moreover, Assam and the other northeastern states are also hit by cuts in financial assistance from the Centre," Gogoi said in a statement.

"It seems that visiting union ministers, instead of extending a helping hand to the state, are more interested in destabilising the democratically elected state government," he said.

Besides, Gogoi said, the central government even denied the special category status to Assam and the other northeastern states.

"Actions of the central government will slow down the economic progress of the state and in turn adversely affect the poor and downtrodden people of Assam and the northeast," he said.

(IANS)