GUWAHATI:
Finance Minister, Ajanta Neog, on March 16, announced several schemes related to road, water transport and overall development in the state on the third day of the Budget session in Assam Legislative Assembly (ALA).
Reiterating the importance of the up-gradation of four roads under Asom Mala in 2022-23, she proposed four new schemes for road construction – Pakipath Nirman Achani, Unnoti Pakipath Nirman Achani, Mothauri Pokikaran Achani and Path Nobikaran Achani.
The aim of these schemes involves the maintenance of all-weather roads, including those on embankments.
Neog proposed two major bridges over Subansiri at Dhunaguri and Luit with help from the Government of India and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), informing that the bridge linking Majuli with Bihpuria and Nemati is in progress.
She proposed the construction of a trumpet junction at Gauripur, North Guwahati to improve the utility of the bridge over the Brahmaputra, along with a new flyover project and new elevated road in Mancota Road, Dibrugarh and GNB Road, Guwahati, respectively.
The state budget also proposed 13 terminals to be developed by Assam Inland Water Transport Development Society (AIWTDS) on National Waterway 2 on Brahmaputra at Umananda, Uzan Bazar, Kurua, Guijan, and Ghaghor, to name a few.
It also mentioned schemes related to the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), including “compassionate appointment” in the Education department and Sixth Schedule areas in order to meet the target of one lakh jobs.
Meanwhile, incentives under Category-1 of the Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) were also announced, to be disbursed before Bohag Bihu.
The budget proposed Orunodoi assistance to be enhanced to Rs 1250 per month from next financial year, with Rs 250 additional subsidy for 50 units of electricity. In this regard, six lakh additional beneficiaries are to be added from Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
Regarding the issuance of caste certificates to Other Backward Class (OBC) communities, Neog proposed they have their own authorised organisations to recommend the same to respective community members.
50 bighas per tribal family was also proposed by removing the upper ceiling of eight bighas under Assam Land Policy (ALP), 2019.
For the holistic development of Tai Ahom, Moran, Matak, Chutia and Koch-Rajbongshi, the state budget earmarked Rs 25 crore.
In order to increase green cover through the Axom Abhijan from 36 per cent to 38 per cent in five years, using the Miyawaki model, Neog proposed the establishment of the Assam Agro-Forestry Development Board (AAFDB).
Under the Smart City project in Guwahati, the budget mentioned the introduction of 200 electric vehicles and 100 CNG buses for Rs 250 crore.
In the medical sector, a proposal has been made to set up three new medical colleges at Sivasagar, Karimganj and Goalpara, along with a super-speciality hospital at IIT Guwahati, including those colleges whose construction is scheduled to start this year.
