Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Asom Satra Mahasabha has urged the state government to work out a special package for the development and protection of xatras in Assam in the state’s annual budget for the financial year 2025-26.
The budget session of the Assam Assembly is scheduled to start on February 17, and Finance Minister Ajanta Neog will table the state’s annual budget for the financial year 2025-26 on March 10.
Secretary General of Asom Satra Mahasabha, Kusum Kumar Mahanta, told The Sentinel, “In 2017, some of the xatras received financial assistance from the state government. Currently, there are around 800 xatras in Assam. There are also a few xatras in West Bengal with which the memories of several Mahapurush are connected. No doubt, the Assam government has worked for the development of a few xatras, including the Batadraba Than in the Nagaon district. The renowned xatras are subsisting on the donations by the devotees. But most of the xatras are in a deplorable condition in terms of infrastructure.”
Mahanta further said, “Recently, I met with Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah and discussed the basic issues of the xatras with him. I requested him to facilitate a financial package for all of the xatras. It has come to our attention that the budget session of the Assam Assembly is due to start from February 17. This will be the last full-fledged budget of the present government led by Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. It will be of immense benefit for us if the government announces a special package during this budget session.”
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