GUWAHATI, Aug 16 - The State government will construct a �Swahid Smaarak Khetra,� a park in memory of the martyrs of the Assam Movement.
The park will be constructed on a 100-bigha plot in the heart of the city, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in his speech after hoisting the Tricolour at the Veterinary College Field here on the Independence Day on Tuesday. He said a shraddhanjali programme was organised for the first time at the Veterinary College field to pay homage to the martyrs of the Assam Movement and at the programme, an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each was given to the next of kin of the families of 860 martyrs.
Sonowal added an amount of Rs 21 crore has been sanctioned for the development of 37 sattras and a sum of Rs 25 crore has been granted separately to 140 sattras. �Steps are being taken to free the Sattra land from encroachment,� he added.
Through the Chief Minister�s Free Diagnostics Service, the government has ensured availability of a number of free diagnostics services to all the citizens and more than 1.2 lakh people have been benefited till date, he said.
To revitalise elementary education in the State, the government has appointed more than 12,000 teachers in the last one year, Sonowal said, adding that free textbooks have been given to more than 59 lakh elementary school students.
The Chief Minister said for the first time, the State government had distributed 108 lakh free textbooks among 7.66 lakh students of classes IX and X. Similarly, admission fees have been waived for 2.03 lakh students pursuing higher education.
He said revenue collection has increased to Rs 15,620 crore in the last fiscal from Rs 12,848 crore in 2015-16. �The plan expenditure has increased to 64.46 per cent in 2016-17 against only 37 per cent in 2015-16. Similarly, the total fund released by the State exchequer in 2016-17 was Rs 53,562 crore against Rs 39,805 crore in 2015-16,� he added.
Sonowal also said his government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance against corruption in the State. The Assam government has taken a pledge to free the State from corruption, illegal immigrants, terrorism and pollution, the Chief Minister added.
