GUWAHATI, July 11 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today announced a series of new schemes and said that proposals for a Government run cable/satellite television channel and community radio stations throughout the State are being contemplated.
In his Budget speech, the Chief Minister proposed to set up one Institute of Mass Communication and Printing Technology to be named after Lakshminath Bezbaruah and an Earthquake and Risk Mitigation Centre under the aegis of the National Institute of Disaster Management.
Gogoi also announced a host of new projects covering almost all the major departments. He said that thrust would be given on rural development considering the fact that 87 per cent of the people of Assam live in the rural areas and a State Rural Development Authority would be set up for fostering the development of the rural areas in planned manner. He said that Rs 847.56 crore would be earmarked for rural development in the current financial year.
Thrust will also be given on providing skill upgradation of the unemployed youths and to provide self employment opportunities. An amount of rupees three crore has been earmarked for setting up of an Assam Skill Development Authority.
Emphasis will be given on strengthening the public distribution system and an Assam State Civil Supplies Corporation would be set up, while, the Anna Suraksha Yojana would be expanded to cover more people.
The Chief Minister announced that a state litigation policy would be formulated and the 13th Finance Commission has already allocated Rs 15 crore for setting up of the State Judicial Academy. The academic session of the National Law College would start this year and district courts would be set up in Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong.
Gogoi announced a special package of Rs 300 crore for the socio-economic development of the people belonging to the SC, ST and OBCs and said that an Assam Scheduled Castes Development Council would be set up, while, a separate directorate for the OBC is being proposed. He also assured to provide more funds to the autonomous councils.
Asserting that the Government is committed to develop the hill areas, Gogoi said that setting up of the Hill Medical College and Research Institute is in progress, while, the Government proposed to set up a Hill Engineering College and Assam Hills University.
The Chief Minister announced the Government�s decision to set up 12 new colleges at a cost of Rs 96 crore, while, as many as 21new polytechnics would be set up in the next three years involving a cost of Rs 252 crore. He said that the schools set up before 2006 would be provincialized in phased manner. But at the same time, he said that no further provincialization of schools would be taken up in future. He said that the Government has proposed to recruit 40,000 teachers on regular and contractual basis this year, while, the annual stipend for Sainik School students would be enhanced from Rs 12000 to Rs 30000 from this year. Physical education would be made part of school curriculum.
The Chief Minister said that the Government would accord high priority in Health and Family Welfare and an Assam Medical Development Corporation would be set up to streamline the construction, maintenance, procurement and distribution activities relating to health services.
The Government also proposed to increase the rate of literary, cultural and sports pension from Rs 2000 to Rs 4000 per month. Corresponding enhancement would be made in regard to family pension while the one time payment for all these categories would be increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000.
