MANGALDAI, April 1 - Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister for Finance, Education, Health etc., while visiting Mangaldai on Friday for the first time after the BJP-led government came to power took part in several public functions where he announced a series of new welfare schemes taken up by the State government for the welfare of women and students.
Participating as the chief guest in a function at Mangaldai Gandhi Maidan for the ceremonial distribution of cheques of revolving fund of Rs 10,000 each to 101 SHGs, Dr Sarma announced a new scheme �Kanaklata Women Empowerment� which was launched today. This scheme will economically boost the active SHGs with yearly grant from Rs 25,000 in the first year to the a maximum of rupees two lakh in the fourth year.
He also spoke on a few other schemes relating to women welfare which included eight new women colleges, distribution of scooties to meritorious girls from 5000 this year to a total of one lakh in the coming five years, government pensions to unmarried girl of an govt employee among others. Earlier, inaugurating a new administrative building at Mangaldai College built at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore collected from college itself, the Education Minister laid stress on the reforms of the existing education system of the State.
He announced to offer free text books to all the poor students of Higher Secondary standard from the new academic year starting from June next. He also declared the expansion of the free admission scheme to the third year of degree course. Dr Sarma termed these initiatives as the reforms his government has made in the education system of the State. He also assured a grant of Rs 2 crore for completion of the half-completed swimming pool and a new library of the college. Ramen Deka, MP, Mangaldai Lok Sabha seat, Gurujyoti Das, MLA, Mangaldai and Deputy Commissioner, Darrang Ashok Kr Barman also accompanied him.
Later talking to the media, the Health Minister promised to make functional the 100-bed Maternity and Child Health Hospital of Mangaldai Civil Hospital, built at a cost of Rs 70 crore way back in February 2016, within a short period. However, he did not visit the site of the abandoned hospital.