Guwahati: Assam government will reserve 3-4 per cent of state government jobs for the tea community members, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.
“We are going to reserve 3-4 per cent of state government jobs for the youth of the tea garden community this year,” Chief Minister Sarma said while inaugurating six newly built tea garden model schools in the Sonitpur district.
“In the 75 years of India’s Independence, only primary schools were established in the tea garden areas of the state. Due to the non-availability of high schools in the tea garden areas, many students left school midway, which led to an increased drop-out rate,” Sarma added.
The Chief Minister asserted that the present state government decided to set up one high school each covering 2-3 tea gardens in Assam, adding that 118 model schools in the tea garden areas of the state were established recently.
“These schools will facilitate a better academic environment for the students of the community to march ahead in life,” Sarma claimed.
Underlining the various steps taken by the state government for the advancement of the students of the tea garden areas, the Chief Minister informed that 30 seats have been reserved for tea community students to study in medical colleges in Assam.
He also said that seats for girl students from the tea garden community to study nursing courses will be reserved.
Moreover, a college would be set up at Rangapara, providing better opportunities for higher education to the students of the tea community.
The tea gardens where these model schools were inaugurated include Arun Tea Garden in Dhekiajuli, Adabari and Sonabeel tea gardens in Rangapara, Kettla and Jingia tea gardens in Behali, and Pabhoi tea garden in the Biswanath constituency of Sontipur district.