STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said that the places of religious importance must reverberate with the messages of spiritual and cultural identity of the State.
Launching the second phase of 'Assam Darshan' scheme at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here on Thursday, Sonowal said that the spiritual and cultural edifice of Assam is very strong; and thus the places of religious importance must be built in such a way to reverberate this message.
During the function Sonowal presented approval letters to 377 religious institutions under the scheme. It may be noted that under the 'Assam Darshan' scheme, steps have been undertaken to give financial assistance to develop infrastructural and other essential amenities of the religious places of different religions such as mandirs, naamghars and masjids.
Sonowal also said that under the 'Assam Darshan' scheme, the religious institutions that had received Rs 10 lakh will get an additional amount of Rs 15 lakh upon satisfactory utilization of the first allotment of Rs 10 lakh. He also said that the State government has decided to give Rs 2.5 lakh to 8,000 naamghars which are more than 50 years old.
Speaking on the occasion, Health, Finance & PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the State Government has taken a decision to bring about infrastructural development of the religious institutions through the 'Assam Darshan' scheme. Under this scheme, 915 religious institutions received financial grants to the tune of Rs 10 lakh. In the second phase for 377 religious institutions, Rs. 37.70 crore has been released. He also said that through 'Assam Darshan', an effort has been made to strengthen the foundation of a harmonious society.
Water Resources & Archaeology Minister Keshab Mahanta said that under the Sixth schedule of the Assam Accord, law has been enacted to safeguard the religious institutions across the State. The 'Assam Darshan' scheme is one such programme through which government patronage is provided to bring in unity in the State through spiritual institutions, he added.