The Education Department has released a grant of ₹ 35.43 crore at the rate of ₹ 1,000 each to 3,54,341 undergraduate students across Assam for purchase of textbooks under the Pragyan Bharati Scheme.
During the 2019-20 Budget session of Government of Assam, the then Finance Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the provision of free textbooks to undergraduate students of the State. Later, it was amended and the State Government decided to provide ₹ 1,000 each to the undergraduate students through direct benefit transfer for the purchase of textbooks.
Bishal Barman, the son of a farmer and a sixth semester graduate student of Abhayapuri College, Bongaigaon, is one among these students. “Last month, ₹ 1,000 was deposited in my bank account. Since I had already purchased textbooks prior to receiving the amount, I am now thinking of buying guidebooks for competitive examinations later,” he told Asom Barta.
Another beneficiary of the scheme is Dipankar Sarma, a sixth semester graduate student of Bagadhar Brahma Kishan College in Baksa district. He, too, is the son of a farmer. “I am very happy to receive the amount. However, I had already purchased some textbooks. I had to buy a few more. I thank the Government for empowering us,” he said.
