By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 7: As promised on November 5, 2014 at a function on the occasion of the death anniversary of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the Assam Government is going to open 198 Mukali Manchas for free-of-cost use by people. Tomorrow 187 of them will be opened.
Talking to newsmen in the city today, Panchayat and Rural Development (P & RD Minister Rakibul Hussain said: “On November 5, 2014 the State Government announced the construction of a mukali mancha and a udyan in each of the development blocks in the State within a year in the me of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. Tomorrow Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is going to centrally iugurate one such mukali mancha at Boko Development Block. Rest of the mukali manchas will be iugurated by local people associated with culture. These 198 mukali manchas have been completed ahead of schedule. Eleven of these will be iugurated later following request for deferment by flood-affected people of the respective areas. People can use the manchas free of cost, after taking permission from the panchayat heads. The maximum cost of such a mancha was Rs 25 lakh.” Hussain said: “Twenty-one other mukali manchas are under construction. We hope that they will be completed soon. The open manchas are a tribute to the maestro from Dispur. We have made an enquiry if any other State in the country has done so much in the me of an icon. We find no parallel to this job.”