OUR CORRESPONDENT
JORHAT: The Assam government is committed to accelerating the state's overall development while preserving its rich heritage, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said here today.
After the two-day deputy commissioners' conference, the chief minister said the high dropout rate at the secondary level remained a major concern in Assam. Detailed discussions were held on measures to address the problem and ensure that more students remain in the education system.
In the healthcare sector, discussions focused on the goal of making India tuberculosis-free, establishing new medical colleges and upgrading 4,000 sub-centres into hospitals in a phased manner, as announced in the state budget.
Dr Sarma said Assam has started attracting investments but lacks adequate land banks to accommodate and retain industrial projects.
He pointed out that states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra have reportedly kept around seven lakh bighas of land as land banks, whereas Assam currently has less than 10,000 bighas available for that purpose.
"Therefore, we discussed at length how land banks can be created in every district for industrial development," he said.
The conference also discussed reconstruction of embankments damaged during the recent floods.
The Chief Minister said the government plans to invest around Rs 50,000 crore in Assam under the 'Developed Assam 2047' initiative through a thematic development approach.
The proposed infrastructure would include schools, colleges, universities, Anganwadi centres, power lines, stadiums and government infrastructure.
He said detailed discussions were held on the types of projects that should be undertaken in each district under the initiative.
Dr Sarma announced that Assam will observe 'Seva and Samarpan Month' from September 17 to October 17.
He said the month-long programme is being organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 25 years in public life as Chief Minister and Prime Minister, beginning with his swearing-in as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2001.
A second survey of flood-affected people will be conducted to prepare the final list before October 9. In this connection, a meeting will be held with the Deputy Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners and Circle Officers of Jorhat, Golaghat, Sivasagar and Charaideo districts.
Regarding providing land pattas and houses to tea garden workers, the Chief Minister said that in the first phase, 36,000 tea workers had been granted land pattas; in the next phase, 1.30 lakh would be granted pattas; and in the last phase, 36,000 tea workers had been granted land pattas, in the next phase 1.30 lakh would be granted pattas, and in the last phase 90,000, totalling nearly three lakh.
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