Over 11,000 Students Benefited Under Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award Scheme

Guwahati: From a modest reward for meritorious achievement in academics, the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award has turned into a transformational scheme to inspire excellence across Assam. This year, 11,250 meritorious students have been provided with scooters to help them continue with their education. Of them, 6,860 are female, and 4,390 are male students.

The occasion was graced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, Prof. Debabrata Das, the head representatives of Hero Motors, along with professors, principals, and students.

The Chief Minister emphasised discipline and safety, instructing students to adhere to two golden rules: “No student should ride without a valid driving licence, and wearing a helmet is non-negotiable for one’s own safety.”

Speaking about the revised beneficiary numbers, he said, “Every year we have continued this initiative. This year, however, slight changes have been made. We distributed scooters to 11,250 students, whereas last year almost 40,000 received them. The drop in numbers is due to students shifting towards the Nijut Moina Asoni, which empowers them further. While this scheme saw a reduction, Nijut Moina Asoni saw an upsurge of nearly 5 lakh students.”

Moreover, he also announced a forthcoming initiative, adding, “From the 1st of January, male students will be delighted with a new scheme designed to support their studies.”

The CM reiterated that the government's vision is to create a strong educational ecosystem. He warned against negativity that misguides youth and underlined that the government would like to fight the root cause of such destructive tendencies.

Furthermore, the CM claims that this is the most exciting period for Assam since Independence and pointed out the massive transformation happening in the education sector of the state. He said that around 25 medical colleges are being developed, out of which 10 are completed, and 15 are at various stages of construction. Assam has 2,000 medical seats at present, and the state is planning to increase this capacity to 5,000 seats by 2030.

Subsequently, he said that land has been allotted for the first Green Refinery Plant near the Numaligarh Refinery, thus paving the way for another milestone in Assam's development journey. With the renewed schemes and growing participation, Assam’s academic future indeed looks promising. From education reforms to upcoming medical infrastructure and new industrial projects, Assam is set to witness tremendous progress in the upcoming years.

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