A CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: The first ever State Cabinet meeting in Silchar ended with a slew of new projects for Barak Valley. The Cabinet's decisions ranged from an elevated flyover in Silchar to a medical college in Hailakandi, from upgrading a premier college to a state university to relocating the Silchar jail to Lakhipur, from a new circuit house to water supply schemes in major Valley towns.
Addressing a press briefing to announce the decision taken in the Cabinet, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, G C College of Silchar would be upgraded as a state university and it would be outside the jurisdiction of Assam University.
The Cabinet had approved Rs 135 crore for the construction of a mini-secretariat in Silchar. Rs 59 crore has been sanctioned to the Water Resources department to complete the half done work of the sluice gate at Bethukandi.
Mahishabeel would be earmarked as a protected land. Sarma said, the Cabinet had approved a 4-lane elevated flyover from Ramnagar ISBT to Trunk Road, Tarapur covering a stretch of 4.10 km.
However, this needs demolition of India Club, a heritage site of Silchar, Sarma stated. Apart from this, another flyover of 100 metre would be constructed at the sinking zone in Silchar-Kalain road. Cabinet had sanctioned Rs 135 crore for the development of Mini Secretariate in Silchar. Rs 55 crore and Rs 56 crore had been sanctioned for water supply schemes respectively.
In Lakhipur, a 100-bedded hospital got the nod from today's Cabinet. Sarma informed that two new colleges in Silchar and two Degree Model Colleges would be set up in Lakhipur and Dholai. The Chief Minister further informed that the Cabinet had approved Rs 81 crore for the construction of a milk processing unit in Silchar.
Another Rs 10 crore had been sanctioned for Silchar District Sports Association. Silchar Medical College would have another 200-bedded super speciality hospital in its complex and the Cabinet had approved Rs 227 crore for the project. Sarma said, Rs 650 crore had been sanctioned for a medical college in Karimganj and it would be set up in Ratabari. Patherkandi would have an Agriculture College and the Cabinet had approved Rs 180 crore for the project. Hailakandi District Hospital would get a Mother and Child Care unit and Rs 23 crore had been sanctioned. However, the most surprising decision of today's cabinet is the shifting of Silchar central jail to Lakhipur where 100 bighas of land had allotted. A botanical garden would be set in the place of the jail in Silchar. Further, a new circuit house would be set up in Hailakandi, Sarma added.
The Chief Minister had strongly criticized Barak Democratic Front which had recently called a 12-hour Barak bandh alleging that the candidates of the Valley had been deprived in the examination for grade III and IV jobs. Sarma said, after Guwahati, Silchar centre covering entire Barak Valley was the second most successful in the entire State. In grade IV jobs, 1,000 candidates from Silchar centre came out successful and for grade III, 2008 out of 10,000 successful candidates were from from Barak Valley. He said, 1547 applicants from Barak Valley cracked the recruitment examination against 10,000 posts. Since May 2021, 3,358 applicants from Barak Valley had got jobs in various departments. Sarma said, those who alleged that the candidates of Barak Valley were deprived were actually misguiding the people with an intention of creating fissure in two valleys. These outfits should seek unconditional apology to the people of Barak Valley, Sarma said.
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