<span style="color: #222222;">In Assam, Finance  Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, presented the interim budget in the assembly today before the state goes to polls. He said the vote on account of 60,784.03 crore rupees for a period of six months has been sought to fulfill obligatory and other necessary aggregate expenditure, and General Budget will be placed well before September 30, 2021.  <br />''<br />''The Minister further announced that additional cess of 5 rupees imposed on petrol and diesel during COVID 19 period will be withdrawn from midnight today.  Also, additional cess imposed on various liquor categories during last year, averaging around 25%, has also been withdrawn.  <br />''<br />''The Minister informed that the annual growth rate at 7.71% was higher against the national annual growth rate of 6.11% during the period 2016-17 to 2019-20.<br />''The Minister dwelt on the achievements of the various flagship schemes introduced by the BJP-led state government in the last five years, and also other initiatives and programmes of the government.</span><br />