A CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that the State Government would allocate Rs 1 crore to every elected councillor of the Silchar Municipal Corporation for the development of their respective wards.
Addressing a massive election rally in Silchar ahead of the civic polls, CM Dr Sarma said that councillors who promptly submit utilisation certificates for the development funds would receive additional financial assistance. Amid controversy surrounding the educational qualifications of some BJP candidates, the CM avoided directly addressing the issue and instead appealed to voters to support both him and the BJP to ensure the overall development of the Barak Valley.
Highlighting major infrastructure projects, the Chief Minister said that the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had already initiated work on the proposed high-speed expressway connecting Panchgram and Barapani, which would later be extended to Siliguri. He said that the Centre would provide Rs 82,000 crore for the project in a phased manner.
Sarma also announced that an alternative railway route connecting Mainarband and Lanka was in the pipeline, aimed at strengthening rail connectivity between the Barak Valley and the rest of the country.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister chaired a review meeting at the newly constructed Assam Secretariat building in Srikona near Silchar.
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