Nagaon (Assam) [India], December 20 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that Assam is now embarking on a journey toward development.
"Assam is now embarking on a journey toward development, focusing on key industries such as semiconductors," CM Biswa Sarma said.
He also highlighted the state's significant strides in building infrastructure, including the construction of bridges over the Brahmaputra, and the establishment of medical colleges and universities in every district, which are contributing to the state's overall growth.
"The state government has been implementing numerous schemes to ensure that poverty does not hinder access to education. These initiatives are designed to empower students, enabling them to become responsible citizens through education," he said.
As part of the "12 Days of Development" initiative started by the Assam government on December 11, with a focus on accelerating the pace of development and prioritizing public welfare in Assam, CM Biswa Sarma on Friday distributed the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award (Scooty) under the Pragyan Bharati Scheme, bicycles to 9th-grade students under the Chief Minister's Special Scheme, and cash rewards to students scoring 75 per cent or higher in the high school final examinations under the Anundoram Borooah Award in Nagaon.
It may be noted that under the Kakati Merit Award, the Chief Minister presented scooties to 3,450 students from the Nagaon district who passed the higher secondary final exams in the first division or achieved 75 per cent or more. 1,856 students from Nagaon district who achieved similar results in the 2024-25 high school final examinations were awarded cash prizes through the Anundoram Borooah Award.
He also launched a program to provide bicycles to 16,560 9th-grade students in Nagaon district under the Chief Minister's Special Scheme.
In his speech, the Assam Chief Minister elaborated on the recruitment of nearly 150,000 youth into government jobs over the past three years, based on merit, thereby providing opportunities for even children from underprivileged families to secure government positions.
The Chief Minister noted that it is through education that the current generation is forging the path to a developed Assam and that the dreams of past visionaries like Dr Banikanta Kakati and leaders like Gopinath Bordoloi are now being realized.
He called upon the youth to engage in intellectual, cultural, and sporting activities as part of the mission to build a new Assam.
He also stressed the importance of reading beyond textbooks to gain well-rounded knowledge and encouraged students to explore topics of interest, such as the life stories of great personalities and Assam's rich history. Looking forward, he envisioned that the future would be driven by technology, underscoring the importance of fields such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing, and robotics.
He urged students to embrace technology and acquire knowledge in these areas to prepare themselves for the future. He also motivated students to chase their dreams and achieve their goals through determination, asserting that success can only be attained through effort and perseverance.
The event was attended by the Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management etc. Keshab Mahanta, Minister for Cultural Affairs etc. Bimal Bora, MLAs Rupak Sarmah, Jitu Goswami, Diplu Ranjan Sarma, Sashi Kanta Das, BJP Nagaon District President Abhijit Nath, AGP Nagaon District President Moni Madhab Mahanta, District Commissioner of Nagaon Narendra Kumar Shah, Police Superintendent of Nagaon Swapnaneel Deka, along with students, teachers, and other dignitaries.