Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurates ‘Anna Mahotsav’ in Assam’s Nalbari

Speaking at the programme held at Gurdon Government Higher Secondary School ground in Nalbari on Monday, the Assam Chief Minister said through this ‘Anna Mohatsav’ efforts have been taken to generate awareness about PMGKY so that targeted beneficiaries can be brought under the ambit of the scheme in the state.

“Through this scheme additional 5 kg food grains will be given to nearly 59 lakh beneficiaries who are holding NFSA cards in the state,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic that engulfed the entire nation, under the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKY) was initiated from April to June 2020 during the first phase of the pandemic.

After the success of the first phase, second phase was initiated from July to November 2020 and the third phase was announced during the second wave of the pandemic in which every ration card holder under National Food Security Act will receive 5 kg of food grains from April-November 2021.

The fair price shops across the state under Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) will observe the programme on October 12-20 to ensure food security for the beneficiaries as envisioned by the government.

Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted,“At Nalbari, launched the Anna Mahotsav program under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, as per vision of Hon PM Sri @narendramodi to extend govt help to needy in wake of #Covid pandemic. Every ration card holder of National Food Security Act will receive 5 kg foodgrains from April-Nov 2021.”

Himanta Biswa Sarma also said that true to its promise the state government has already taken steps to waive off micro finance loans to the beneficiaries as the process of waiving off will start from November this year.

“The state government as per its promise to provide one lakh jobs to the youths of the state has already started the process of inducting the youths to different government jobs in different government departments. From the next year, the state government will raise the number of Orunodoi beneficiaries. In each constituency at least five thousand more beneficiaries will be included in the beneficiary list to ensure their entitlement to Rs 1000 per month,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Assam Chief Minister also said tha,t for the development of Nalbari district, his government has decided to build an integrated Deputy Commissioner’s Office in a new location at a sprawling 22 bigha of land involving a financial outlay of Rs 50 crore.

“Moreover, a state of the art district stadium will also be constructed in Nalbari with an expenditure of Rs 50 crore. To give the people of Nalbari succour from artificial flood, the government will construct a well laid out network of drains with an estimated project cost of Rs 120 crore. Moreover, to raise the level of connectivity, the embankment along Pagladia will be transformed into road cum embankment from Bijulighat to Tamulpur. The entire project cost will be Rs 150 crore. A new circuit house will also be built for Nalbari,” Dr Sarma said.

Moreover, he also announced that the Nalbari Medical College and Hospital will be dedicated to the service of the people in the next year.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)