The minister promised more specific development for tea workers of the district
HT Correspondent
SILCHAR, May 30: Cachar Guardian minister Ashok Singhal who is also the minister for Urban Development, Irrigation & GDD ceremonially inaugurated 4 model tea garden schools in Borjalenga, Moniyarkhal, Haitechera and Itachera tea estate of Cachar district on Sunday.
Minister Singhal who was on a day long visit to Cachar arrived in Silchar on Sunday morning and visited the 4 tea estates to inaugurate the program along with MLAs of the constituencies, Cachar DC Keerthi Jalli, Cachar Zilla Parishad chairman Amitabh Rai, chairman of Assam Tea Board Association Rajdeep Gowala and other officials.
While speaking on the occasion, minister Singhal said, “The Assam Government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma is committed to the development of tea workers and will make their dreams a reality. Our government is relentless in shaping up Barak and Brahmaputra simultaneously.”
Minister Singhal said that the present government is working for the overall development of the people in the tea garden areas. The government has made arrangements to provide free housing under PMGAY scheme, drinking water facilities, electricity, toilets, gas, etc., to the tea workers and poor people of the state, besides, a model school is being constructed in the garden area so that the children of the garden areas don’t have to go far for their studies and can avail higher education facilities at their vicinity.
Minister Singhal stated that 96 such model schools are being set up in tea garden areas in the state.
The minister further stated that within the next 2 years these model high schools will be upgraded to the higher secondary level and one college will be set up in each garden area incorporating 4 to 5 tea gardens to facilitate higher studies for the children of tea workers in the state.
Minister Singhal said that 200 years after the establishment of the gardens and after 75 years of independence, the government has taken a historic step for the development of tea workers by setting up model school buildings in the garden areas of the state.
He said that at present, with the help of the internet, the boys and girls of the villages are also getting the same information as in the city.
The minister appealed to the students to come forward to acquire knowledge with an inquisitive mind.
Guardian minister Ashok Singhal also appealed to the teachers to focus on the students by realising their talent.
Minister Singhal said that the state government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma is working for equal development in Barak and Brahmaputra valleys.
The minister also asked deputy commissioner Cachar to initiate a construction process for the boundary wall or fencing of Hatichera Model School under MGNREGA fund.
Earlier on the day, in her welcome address at the inaugural ceremony of Borjalenga High School, DC Keerthi Jalli said that the school building was constructed for the children of 15,000 people in the area. DC Jalli appealed to the parents and teachers of the school to ensure that the students of the area could become good citizens of the future.
It needs to be mentioned here that according to the commitment made by the Assam Government to impart quality education to the children of the tea workers at their vicinity, state government led by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has set up 119 model tea garden schools in the tea estates across the state out of which 96 school will begin in the current year and remaining 22 school are in the process of different stages of construction which will be made functional in the next academic year.
It is pertinent to mention that 8 faculty members in each school have been appointed and a fund of Rs 1 lakh will be allocated to each school for providing free textbooks, mid-day meals and uniforms to the students of these schools.
Notably, the proposal for the set-up of 200 tea garden schools was primarily introduced in the 2017-2018 state budget by then Finance minister of the state, Himanta Biswa Sarma.
