Assam announces infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 12,000 crore
New projects include construction of four new medical colleges, nine women colleges, six degree colleges, ten law colleges, two flyovers and road corridors across the state.
Continuing its initiatives ahead of next year’s assembly polls, Assam government on Saturday announced infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 12,000 crore.
Health, education, PWD and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that work on the projects to be undertaken with government’s funds and external loans would start soon.
“The entire cost of projects is around Rs 11,900 crore. This would be the highest capital investment for infrastructure in the state. Work on most of the projects would start in December,” he said.
New projects include construction of four new medical colleges, nine women colleges, six degree colleges, ten law colleges, two flyovers and road corridors across the state.
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Sarma also announced that the education department would appoint 10,789 new teachers in primary and secondary schools.
“Besides the projects that would be undertaken with the government’s funds, 12 other road projects worth Rs 6,000 crore funded by Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank would also begin in the state soon,” he said.
The minister also announced lifting of several austerity measures that had been enforced in April this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
They include lifting of limit of 10 percent spending of establishment expenditures by departments, resumption of tax exemption granted to industries and spending of money from MLA development funds.
However, several measures like ban on purchase of new vehicles, organising conferences, workshops and seminars, events in 5-star hotels, foreign visits by bureaucrats and ministers and 30 percent cut in salaries of ministers would remain.
“I had met Union finance minister two days back and she assured new compensation formula for GST and release of revenue deficit grant. This will enhance the state government’s spending capacity. We are in a much comfortable situation to go forward with commitments made in our budget,” the minister said.
In recent weeks, Sarma has announced regularisation of services of 46,000 teachers, several sops for students, teachers and educational institutes; funds for religious bodies and a scheme to give Rs 830 per month to nearly 17 lakh families in the state.
Assembly elections are due in Assam in April next year.


