Assam Government Grants Aid to Puja Pandals and Unveils Ambitious Welfare Plans

Guwahati , Assam - October 18, 2023: As Assam prepares to celebrate the joyous and culturally significant Durga Puja festival, the state government has announced a heartening initiative. In a recent state cabinet meeting held under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati, a decision was made to provide financial assistance to puja pandals across the state. This generous move aims to support the festive spirit and ensure a grand celebration.

The Assam government has allocated a grant-in-aid of Rs 10,000 to each of the 6,953 puja pandals in the state. The decision, announced by Assam Tourism Minister Jayanta Mall Baruah, is expected to contribute to the vibrancy and enthusiasm of the Durga Puja festivities.

In addition to this uplifting announcement, the state cabinet has revealed an ambitious plan to enhance educational infrastructure. Foundation stones will be laid for 400 new buildings, including high and higher secondary schools. Notably, out of these, 100 will be entirely new schools in tea garden areas, furthering the government's commitment to education in these regions. For the renovation of existing school buildings, each institution will receive an allocation of Rs 7 crore. The foundation stone-laying ceremony for these initiatives is scheduled to take place from December 25 to January 10, 2024.

Another notable decision from the state cabinet is a novel initiative involving cabinet ministers. It has been decided that all cabinet ministers will reside in a particular village for a period of 5 days and 5 nights during the designated period mentioned above. This endeavor is intended to facilitate firsthand assessments of the practical implementation of welfare schemes and to gauge the level of success achieved in these initiatives. The selection of five different villages from five distinct zones underlines the government's commitment to ensuring that welfare schemes are reaching their intended beneficiaries effectively.

Assam Tourism Minister Jayanta Mall Baruah also revealed a significant decision regarding the settlement of land in favor of indigenous, landless families. A total of 123 indigenous families, comprising 105 from Charaideo and 18 from Darrang, will benefit from land settlements for homestead purposes in urban areas under Mission Basundhara 2.0. It is noteworthy that this move builds upon previous settlements that have been issued to more than 55,000 landless families after approval from the respective district SDLACs and oversight by Guardian Ministers.

These recent cabinet decisions reflect the Assam government's commitment to promoting culture, education, and welfare in the state. The grants to puja pandals, the significant investment in educational infrastructure, and the innovative village stay program for ministers showcase a comprehensive approach to governance and development in Assam.