CM Sarbananda Sonowal visits Dhekiajuli, takes stock of preparations for PM's programme

Tezpur: In view of the Prime Minister's visit to Dhekiajuli in Assam on February 7, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday visited Dhekiajuli to take stock of the elaborate preparations put in place for the high-profile programme.

Chief Minister Sonowal went straight to the meeting venue from where the Prime Minister would ceremoniously launch the Assam Mala Project for the upgradation of State highways in the State. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also lay the foundation stones of two medical colleges of Biswanath and Charaideo from the same venue.

Chief Minister Sonowal, who was accompanied by Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Handloom and Textile Minister Ranjit Dutta, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Naba Kumar Doley, MLA of Dhekiajuli, Ashok Singhal, MLA of Sootea, Padma Hazarika, MLA Promode Borthakur of Biswanath and other high officials, including Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah and DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, inspected all the installations, including pandals, dais and other ancillaries. The Chief Minister reviewed the preparedness for helipad which is adjacent to the meeting venue and took stock of the requirements put in place. Sonowal also took a look of all arrangements so that the large crowd which will be congregating at the meeting venue experience no hassle.

Sonowal also took stock of the traffic arrangements and route lining for the Prime Minister's programme. Sonowal also took stock of the security aspects and asked the DGP to have closer surveillance along with installations of CCTVs. Though the COVID-19 pandemic is on the wane with the resumption of all regular activities, the Chief Minister asked the Sonitpur Deputy Commissioner, Joint Director of Health and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with the safety protocols of the pandemic.

Later talking to the reporters at the venue, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the people of Assam, especially from Sonitpur and its adjoining districts, were eagerly waiting for the Prime Minister's visit. He said that because of the Prime Minister's love for the State, Assam since 2014 had been experiencing unprecedented development initiatives. He also said that a series of special packages had been announced as a result of which Assam was doing well not only in India but in the larger landscape of South East Asian nations.

Sonowal also said that Prime Minister Modi's love for the State had also eloquently translated in the budget announcements which allotted Rs. 34,000 crore for the construction of 1,300 km of highways and district roads, Rs. 300 crore for Kamakhya Devalaya and Rs. 1,097 crore for the construction of roads and embankments for Majuli. He also thanked the Prime Minister for Rs. 1,000 crore allocation for the welfare of tea communities, especially mothers and children. Sonowal also asked the journalists as well as other stakeholders to make the Prime Minister's programme in the historic Dhekiajuli a success.