Eight HS schools of British era shortlisted by DoNER for upgradation work in Assam

GUWAHATI: The Central government has shortlisted eight Higher Secondary (HS) government schools (established in the British era) across Assam for their infrastructure upgradation at a total cost of Rs 12.75 crore. All these schools were set up in the 1860s. The State government has been asked to complete all the procedures and formalities for sanctioning the proposals.

This development under the NESIDS (North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme) has been initiated by the Ministry of DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region). The decision to this effect was taken at a recent meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) of NESIDS in New Delhi. The meeting chaired by the Secretary of DoNER was also attended by representatives of the Assam government.

The selected eight schools along with the earmarked funding are as follows: Rs 3 crore for Cotton Collegiate HS School, Panbazar, Guwahati; Rs 1.75 crore each for Government Boys HS School, Dibrugarh and Dhubri Government Boys HS School. Each of the following five schools will get Rs 1.25 crore each: Kuralguri HS School, Golaghat; Silchar Government HS School, Cachar; Tezpur Government HS School, Sonitpur; Lakhimpur Government HS School; and Karimganj Government HS School.

During the meeting, representatives of the State government informed the IMC about the dilapidated conditions of these school buildings, and pointed out that there was an urgent need for demolition of the old and unsafe buildings. Therefore the representatives stressed the need for new infrastructures for each of these eight HS educational institutions.

Mentionably, the Central government bears 100 percent funding of all projects under NESIDS. A total of Rs 148.62 crore was allocated to Assam under NESIDS in the present fiscal (2020-2021). After the sanctioning of Rs 12.75 crore (for the above mentioned school-upgradation project), the Assam government will have a reserve amount of Rs 38.38 crore under NESIDS. The IMC had earlier sanctioned Rs 97.49 crore to Assam for various other infrastructure development projects.

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