GUWAHATI, Dec 20 - The Ministry of DoNER today announced an assistance of Rs 207 crore for the physical protection and development of the river island Majuli.
An official press release here this evening stated that DoNER Minister Dr Jitendra Singh over phone conveyed the decision of his ministry to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today. Sonowal thanked the DoNER Ministry for this decision and expressed the hope that it will help a lot in protecting and developing the river island.
The fund being provided by the DoNER Ministry will be used in checking erosion of the river island in an 80-km stretch and thus sought to be used in protecting the island from the erosion of the mighty Brahmaputra, the press release added.
It needs mention here that for the past about five decades, Majuli has been facing severe erosion and thus a vast area of the river island, a centre of the neo-Vaishnavite religion and culture, besides being a mosaic of the State�s rich ethnic cultures, has been lost to the Brahmaputra. Already, a mouza named Ahatguri has been almost eroded away by the river.
Physical protection of the river island has been a major concern and recently, the Brahmaputra Board was also engaged to protect the island from erosion. But allegedly, the Board has also not been able to provide the required protection to the river island.
A large number of the Majuli people are rendered homeless and a sizeable portion of them is now living on the embankments. The people of Majuli, including the Sattradhikars (heads of the Vaishnavite monasteries) are agitating for the past about one decade demanding protection of the river island.
Special Correspondent from New Delhi adds: Presiding over a meeting of the DoNER Ministry on Tuesday, Dr Jitendra Singh said it is a matter of pride that the ministry has succeeded in breaking the jinx of allocated funds remaining unspent year after year, for the last several decades.
Citing figures, he said, out of Rs 2,400-crore allocation for NLCPR, Rs 1,743 crore have already been spent in the first nine months in the current financial year, which is a quantum jump compared to what it was in the preceding financial years. Similarly, he said, the NEC has already spent Rs 702 crore till now since April 1, in the current financial year, whereas in the last financial year of 2015-16, the total amount spent was Rs 760 crore.
The minister said during the current financial year 2016-17, so far 99 projects have already been completed out of which, 76 fall under NLCPR scheme and 23 under North Eastern Council.
The officials of the NEC took part in the meeting through video conference from their Shillong headquarters.