GUWAHATI, Aug 16 ? The State Government has prepared a special package to provide succour to the flood-affected people of the State, and the deputy commissioners of all the districts have been directed to submit specific plans in this regard at the earliest. Announcing this at the Independence Day function at the Judges? Field yesterday, the Chief Minister said all the flood-affected farmers have been given one-year exemption from land revenue and would also be provided with mati mah seeds within September 1. Besides, various rabi seeds will also be distributed from November 1.
?We are extremely concerned with the post-flood situation and are taking all possible measures to ameliorate the plight of the people,? Gogoi said, adding that the Government would help rebuild over two lakh houses badly damaged by the floods.
Claiming that the law-and-order situation in the State has changed for the better in the last couple of years, Gogoi said a special project for the children and women affected by militancy would be implemented from the current financial year at a cost of Rs 5 crore. ?Militancy is definitely on the wane and last year alone has seen the return of 3,779 militants to the mainstream,? he said.
The Chief Minister made an appeal to the different militant groups to come to the negotiating table but made it clear that they could expect no compromise on the ?integrity of the country.?
Terming the revival of the State?s economy as the greatest challenge before the Government, Gogoi asserted that much success had been achieved on that count also, ?as the Reserve Bank overdraft that was Rs 2,00 crore during the AGP Government, has now come down to Rs 31 crore.? The per capita income too has gone up to Rs 12,593 in 2003-04 from Rs 10,718 in 2000-01, he added.
Gogoi said creating avenues of self-employment was a top priority with the Government and a lot of innovative schemes including the self-help groups were put in place to tide over the crisis of unemployment.
Announcing a comprehensive package for the non-provincialised schools and colleges of the State, the Chief Minister said that a total of 1,210 primary schools, 630 ME schools, 512 high schools, 69 HS schools, 50 junior colleges, 61 colleges, 120 pre-senior madrassas, 40 senior madrassas, six titled madrassas, an Arabic college and 16 Sanskrit tols would receive one-time financial grants. ?This will facilitate timely monthly salary to 15,000 teachers,? he said and added that the whole process would be completed by September 1. He also said that a hike was affected in the amount of scholarships for schoolchildren.
Reiterating that rural development was a special thrust area for the Government, Gogoi said that as compared to the Rs 889.27 crore availed from the Centre by the erstwhile AGP regime in their last three years, the present Government has succeeded in getting Rs 2,273.69 crore as rural development fund. The Chief Minister also accorded a special felicitation to litterateur Chandra Prasad Saikia and social worker Amaya Chaliha on the occasion for their lifelong contribution towards the cause of humanity.