OUR CORRESPONDENT
JORHAT: State Finance Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday took Jorhat by storm by riding a red scooty as the lead bike of a huge motorcycle rally.
DrSarma laid the foundation stone of the Rs 78.9-crore ROB thaving a length of 580.65 metres at the KamarBandha Road, popularly known as Jail Road, in front of the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
He disclosed that 65 per cent of the work of the ROB under-construction at Na-Ali here, the foundation-stone of which was laid by the Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal on September 30, 2018, had been completed and would be ready for use within this year.
While stating about the progress and development work initiated in Jorhat after BJP-led Government came to power, the Minister said that roads and bridges got a new lease of life with 150 km stretch of road constructed across the district under PradhanMantri Gram SadakYojana and 300 km of road made pucca.
He informed that works to the tune of Rs 80 crore under the City Infrastructure Development Fund and three major projects under the signature scheme of the Government was underway in the district. The Minister also stated that 52 wooden bridges were converted to RCC in the district.
Sarma, played the poll bugle by enumerating the achievements of the BJP-led Centre in the State and especially the Ministries that he headed.
He also symbolically laid the foundation stone of a Regional Forensic Science Laboratory to be built at Garmur here.
DrSarma's arrival at the Rowriah airport was greeted by enthusiastic BJP and BJYM members who followed his red scooty on their two wheelers as he rode through the thoroughfares of the town being frequently stopped to be greeted by supporters — young and old — with gamosas and shower of flower petals. A poll campaign song in Assamese played in loudspeakers along the route adding to the atmosphere.
Security personnel had a tough time in restraining young enthusiasts who wanted to take photographs along with the Minister in their mobile phones and one even got close enough to give him a kiss.
Stating that the BJP-led Government had focused on ushering in an era of transformation and bringing in progress and prosperity in Assam, he said that politics of development was carried out instead of the thread, dhoti and lungi distribution.
Enumerating developmental activities undertaken in all sectors by the Government, DrSarma said that providing access to education as the basic pathway to uplift the society the Government undertook series of measures to enable poor and marginalized sections of the society to pursue education.
He said that about 20 lakh students so far have been benefited in getting free enrollment in colleges and stated that free distribution of books would be extended to school students of IX and X standards.
The Minister further announced about depositing Rs 1,500 in bank accounts of college (Degree level) students in the next 20 to 25 days. He said that the Government had also decided to deposit Rs 10,000 to college hostel students to bear their mess fees and Rs 100 daily expense during college days for buying tiffin.
He spoke about the number of new higher educational institutes being established in the State, a few already under-construction.
DrSarma also highlighted various initiatives undertaken to empower women, provide employment avenues to youths, controlling the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and providing free medical care to infected patients along with uninterruptedly paying salaries to Government employees during the pandemic period. DrSarma praised HitendraNathGoswami, Speaker of State legislative Assembly and MLA, Jorhat for the large-scale developmental activities undertaken at Jorhat under him.