Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal holds meeting with various communities

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday held meetings with the organizations representing various communities of the State at Assam Administrative Staff College and received memorandums containing their demands. He assured them of taking expedient steps to assuage their grievances while taking views of all stakeholders.

Holding meeting with Chutia community organisations like Chutia Jati Sanmilan and Chutia Juba Sanmilan, the Chief Minister said that the State government has already approved a package of Rs 125 crore for the development of the community and Rs 62 crore has already been released in the first phase of the package. Regarding their demand of ST status, he assured that Government of Assam would send the report of the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted for preparation of modalities for granting ST status to the six communities to the Central Government soon.

The Chief Minister also informed that the bill for setting up Sati Sadhini University at Golaghat would be passed at State Assembly soon and the state government would provide funds for construction of a guest house for the Chutia community at Guwahati.

During the meeting with Nath Jogi community organizations, Sonowal announced that state government would provide funds for celebration of Martyr's Day on September 20 at Kokrajhar to commemorate Swahid Manobar Nath's death anniversary who lost his life during 1942 freedom struggle. He also said that Archaeology Department would be directed to take steps for preserving the heritage sites, monuments etc of Nath Jogi community while steps would be taken for preserving the clothes and other garments of the community at the state museum.

In his meeting with the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) representatives, Sonowal thanked the organisation for its role in making the signing of historic Bodo Peace Accord possible and informed that the state government was acting expediently to bring all the commitments in the Accord to fruition at the earliest. Formation of BTR would usher in a period of rapid development in the region, he said.

The Chief Minister also held a meeting with the delegation of Sodou Asom Sutradhar Samiti, representing Sutradhar community and assured them of looking into their demands for finding solutions to their grievances. Members of Indigenous Peoples' Forum from Dima Hasao district also called on the Chief Minister and Sonowal assured them of looking into their demands.

Minister of Handloom and Textiles Ranjit Dutta, MP Pradan Barua, Media Adviser to the Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami, Additional Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua, Commissioner and Secretary of WPT&BC Dr. M. Angamutthu were also present in the meeting among others.

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