GUWAHATI, July 26 - Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today announced a host of new schemes in his Budget proposals for the current financial year and said that an Assam Public Expenditure Accountability Act will be brought into force soon. He also announced merger of the Planning and Development Department with the Finance Department.
The Government has announced cash award of Rs 25,000 to anyone whose information, evidence, mobile or video records lead to successful apprehension of any bribe seeker or bribe giver.
Sarma announced that all procurements of departments for an amount of Rs 10 lakh and above will be made through e-procurement platform, while the Government is planning to initiate growth-led schemes instead of individual benefit oriented schemes.
Government will open 25 new sub-treasuries in next five years and CCTVS will be installed in all the treasuries and sub-treasuries to strengthen security and vigilance.
The Government has proposed to increased allocation for road maintenance by the PWD to Rs 600 crore from about Rs 300 crore. This amount will go to Assam Road Maintenance Fund.
Education: Anundoram Borooah Award will be restricted to students from next year who obtain star marks, while free textbooks will be provided to students of Class IX and X from next academic year. The Government also proposed a new scheme �Aarohan� where prominent persons and officers will mentor at least three students each. The computer-aided learning will be extended to 297 upper primary schools and the Government has also proposed to allow 50 SEBA-affiliated schools to impart education by obtaining affiliation from CBSE from the next academic session.
The Government has proposed to set up 21 new polytechnics in 21 districts, while three more universities will be set up by upgrading the existing colleges at Barpeta, Bihpuria and Hojai. The Government proposes to make the Engineering Colleges at Karimganj, Dhubri and Golaghat fully functional. An ambitious scheme to install WiFi system in college libraries has also been announced.
The Finance Minister announced setting up of a South Asian Study Centre at Gauhati University, while Rs 1,000 lakh will be allocated to Srimanta Sankardev University over a period of three years. He announced that a Chair in the name of Srimanta Sarkardev will be set up in top five universities in the country.
The Government has decided to appoint 12,000 TET teachers initially and then another 5,000 by April next year.
Health: The Finance Minister today announced introduction of Health insurance called �Atal Amrit Abhiyan�. It will be a smart card based scheme with unique identification number for the beneficiary. Total sum assured will be Rs 2 lakh per person per year. The scheme will be free for the BPL people.
The Government has proposed a 200-bed cancer hospital attached to the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, while cancer wings will be set up at Government medical colleges at Jorhat, Silchar, Tezpur and Barpeta in phased manner.
Two Super Sociality Blocks will be set up at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, while modern OPD dialysis unit will be set up in the GMCH. An additional 50-bed ICU complex and a 20-bed ICCU in the Department of Cardiology will be set up in the GMCH. A full-fledged infertility treatment centre will be set up in the GMCH for the poor and needy patients.
Three medical colleges at Nagaon, Dhubri and North lakhimpur will be set during 2016-17, while a medical college at Kokrajhar will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore. A medical college in Diphu will be set up under the State Plan. He also announced that retirement age of Government doctors will be raised to 65 years.
Sarma announced setting up of All India Institute of Ayurveda at Raha, while two Ayurveda hospitals will be set up at Majuli and Dudhnoi.
He also announced deployment of 40 new mobile medical units exclusively for tea garden areas.
The Government has decided to procure medicine worth Rs 200 crore through Assam Medical Services Corporation from the next financial year.
It has also proposed to establish two higher end super-speciality hospitals in PPP mode in Silchar and Tezpur.
Giving importance to yoga, the Government proposed launching of an Assam Yoga Project. Hundred blocks will be selected in first phase for establishment of clusters in block level.
Culture: The Finance Minister announced a series of schemes on the cultural front which include setting up of Kumar Bhaskar Barman Kshetra at Guwahati, Sukapha Samannay Kshetra at Jorhat, Cultural and Research Centre named after Swami Vivekananda at Barak valley, Azan Peer Kshetra at Sibsagar, developing the house of Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Kuthori as a State Monument, setting up of a memorial of Achyut Lahkar, financial grant of Rs 50 lakh each to 50 sattras, financial assistance for opening of cinema halls in areas other than Guwahati, special grant to Assam Sahitya Sabha for celebration of centenary year, etc.
State employees: The Government has proposed a housing loan of Rs 15 lakh to all eligible employees with focus on Grade III and IV employees, while higher education loan will be provided for children of State Government employees. It also proposed to develop Government employees� residential complex at Majuli.
Assam Houses: The Finance Minister announced construction of new multi-storied Assam Houses in New Delhi, Bangaluru, Vellore, Chennai and Kolkata, along with extension of Assam Houses in Shillong and Mumbai.
