Time has never been so good for the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), comprising five districts, as is now with several development projects announced by the Government of Assam with active cooperation from the region’s administration.
In October alone, projects worth ₹537.58 cr spread over the three districts of the region were launched by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. If one is to interpret the remarks made by the Chief Minister, then one can safely conclude that this is just the beginning.
Dr. Sarma inaugurated and laid foundation stones and developmental projects worth ₹465 cr for Chirang district on October11. It included a 419.05-metre railway overbridge at Basugaon town that has been built at a cost of ₹63 cr and a 152-metre long RCC bridge over the Kuklung River on the Bijni-Kuklung Road to Kumarsali SSB Camp built at a cost of ₹10.98 cr.
A skill training centre, constructed in collaboration with Larsen and Toubro (L&T) on the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) premises at Ballamguri in Gossaigaon subdivision of Kokrajhar district to enhance the skills of youths of the State, is another facet of the development journey of the region.
Speaking at its inaugural function, the Chief Minister said that the Government has been focussing on skill sets to ensure employment of the youths. He said that the State Government has taken steps towards creating a new ecosystem of skills in Assam on a PPP mode.
He laid the foundation stone of the district sports stadium complex at Kajalgaon worth ₹39 cr. Under the Asom Mala scheme, Dr. Sarma launched the improvement and upgradation of the 40.77-km Chapagudi-Amteka-Bhutan Border Road. It will be built at an approximate cost of ₹204 cr. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, he laid the foundation stones for two “large multi-village schemes”, namely Champamati Multi-Village Rural Water Supply and Surang Multi-Village Rural Water Supply Scheme. The projects will cost ₹132 cr.
Dr Ada Ram Basumatary, Principal of Kokrajhar Girls College, appreciated development activities taking place in the region. “There has been an increasing trend in students’ enrolment in educational institutes across the BTR. Educational infrastructure is getting better. If the trend persists, I am hopeful that we will have very bright days ahead,” the academic told Asom Barta.
Earlier, on October 5, Dr. Sarma laid the foundation stone for a district sports complex at Mushalpur in Baksa district. Covering an area of 40 bighas of land, and to be built with ₹43 cr, the complex will boast of synthetic athletic track, multipurpose indoor stadium for badminton, table tennis, volleyball, taekwondo, among others. These apart, it will also house an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Besides, he said that approval for a ₹500-cr road infra development in the region will soon be accorded.
Dipak Kumar Basumatary, former president of the All Bodo Students’ Union and a former executive of Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) said that the multi-sports complex will be of great help to identify sports talents in the district. “We are hopeful that talents will emerge from our district in coming years,” Basumatary told this newsletter.
On October 5, the Assam Chief Minister dedicated a new RCC Bridge on Barama-Dhamdhama-Tamulpur Road at Jartaluk in Tamulpur district, built at a cost of ₹29.58 cr, to the service of the people. He announced a
50-cr stadium in the district, among other projects.
Dr. Sarma, on the occasion, declared that the 26-km road from Dhamdhama to Tamulpur will be turned into a double-lane road under the Asom Mala project. He said that the construction of the ₹600-cr Tamulpur Medical College and Hospital is in progress.
Netaji Basumatary, executive director of Action Northeast Trust, an NGO that works for villages of Chirang district, said that people are enjoying the fruits of development in the rural areas “Good roads, houses for needy people and other welfare measures taken by the Government have created a conducive atmosphere for overall development in BTR,” Basumatary told this reporter.
