GUWAHATI, March 1 - The Delhi Alumni Association of Assam has suggested a number of measures for the forthcoming State Budget 2020-21 for boosting various sectors, including health, education, agriculture, social welfare, citizen services, environment and infrastructure.
The suggestions aimed at �overall objective of creation of a progressive and a developed State of Assam� include creation of a State Education Council with the Education Minister as its chairperson and representatives from various educational bodies, NGOs and prominent members of the public, which would guide and advise the government in imparting meaningful education and dissemination of knowledge.
�This will contribute in raising healthy citizens, formulation of rationalized and progressive school curriculum, setting desired standards of teaching, making teaching an attractive profession and any such activity to ensure that they meet the State�s education objectives and bona fide aspirations of the students and citizens,� it said.
For development of citizen services and public welfare, it has proposed setting up of citizen assistance centres in cities and towns to provide information on matters of public interest, government schemes, receive public grievances and forward suggestions by the citizens to the government on public welfare.
�Besides access to basic health services, people require clean drinking water, hygienic food and practice of healthy living habits, etc. This calls for a synergistic mechanism for coordinated efforts by the Department of Health, Public Health Engineering, and Education and Social Welfare to ensure better health status of the people of Assam,� it said, adding that pay-and-use public convenience centres should be set up in towns and cities, along the State and National Highways, preferably at an interval of 50 km.
It also suggested development of necessary infrastructure to provide 100 per cent cooking gas connection as well as 100 per cent old-age pension, measures to reverse rural to urban migration, , improvement in road and rail connectivity, development of basic infrastructure requirements such as schools, hospitals, power supply, affordable housing and easy access to quality consumer goods, attractive incentives to the service sector and government officials to serve in rural areas, and incentives and financial facilities for investment and entrepreneurship in rural areas with special emphasis on women entrepreneurs.
For development of the agriculture sector, it mooted setting up of Farm Producers and Marketing Corporation in each district headquarters, creation of state-centric credit fund for local youth and farmers, farm mechanization beyond tractors, and paddy procurement centres at all accessible locations.
