SILCHAR, Jan 16 - From being administered as a district under the Superintendent Thomas Fisher, the undivided Cachar District had Robert Steward as its first Deputy Commissioner in 1867. Standing on the shore of confluence, the Cachar District Administration began the sesquicentennial celebration on the completion of 150 years of the office of the Cachar Deputy Commissioner on Sunday.
The two-month long celebration began with a Swacchhta Abhiyan wherein PWD Minister Parimal Suklabadiya, Cachar Deputy Commissioner S Vishwanathan, the MLAs of the district, leading citizens, government organisations, NGOs and staff of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, students from various schools and colleges and others took part with great enthusiasm. The event was followed by a rally which covered major areas of the town before culminating back at the office of the district administration. Moreover, foundation stones for a foot-over-bridge and also of a staff recreation centre at the DC office were laid on the occasion. A host of other events including cultural events to be performed by Sangeet Natak Akademi and the prestigious Capt NM Gupta Football Tournament to be played in the name of 150 years of the Cachar DC office are a part of the celebration.
Later in the day, a meeting was organised by the district administration at the Banga Bhawan. Addressing the people, Deputy Commissioner S Vishwanathan, who is the 78th Deputy Commissioner of the district said that from a planter�s town, Silchar has grown as a potential commerce hub. The activities of the district administration touches the lives of the people of this growth-oriented district.
�We are trying to reach out to the rural areas and a sum of Rs 150 crore under MGNREGA will be utilised for development of every gaon panchayat of the district. Also, under the Prime Minister Awas Yojna as many as 12,260 houses to be built and both schemes will be wrapped up within March,� Vishwanathan maintained.
Reassuring the people of Barak Valley about the government�s intention to set up a Mini Secretariat here, PWD and Fisheries Minister Parimal Suklabadiya who was the chief guest of the meeting said that the government is committed towards the development of Barak Valley. He conveyed the message of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for the people of Cachar and of Barak Valley at large of total cooperation to usher in development and informed that the Chief Minister will attend the closing ceremony of the ongoing celebration on March 15. Silchar MP Susmita Dev, former MP Kabindra Purakayastha, former and current administrative officials also spoke on the occasion.