GUWAHATI: The Assam government is all set to roll out a new scheme to help become youths of the state ‘Atmanirbhar’.
This was announced by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday (September 20).
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The new scheme when launched will be named Mukhyamantrir Atmanirbharshil Asom Abhiyan.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma held a crucial meeting in this regard with the state’s chief secretary and other senior government officials on September 20 via video conferencing.
As per the proposed scheme, a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to 2 lakh youths of Assam will be given to make them self-independent.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Registration process for the new scheme would begin on September 23-24.
IS IT A PLOY TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM ASSAM CM’s WIFE’s ‘LAND & SUBSIDY SCAM’?
Although the scheme, undoubtedly, will benefit many youths from Assam, who are unemployed become self-independent by opening new small businesses, the timing of announcement of the scheme has raised many questions.
Announcement of this new scheme comes at a time when the Assam chief minister has got embroiled in a major controversy surrounding an alleged “land and subsidy scam” involving his wife and entrepreneur Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
It may be mentioned here that a major controversy erupted in Assam recently after Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi shared central government data that enlists Riniki Bhuyan Sarma-owned Pride East Entertainments Pvt Ltd, a Guwahati-based media company, as one of the companies to whom a grant of Rs 10 crore was approved by the union food processing ministry.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also called for the resignation of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleging that he abused his power for personal gain.
MP Gogoi had demanded a comprehensive investigation into the rapid acquisition of a large agricultural land plot by a media house owned by the chief minister’s family and its subsequent conversion into industrial property within a short period of time.
The controversy centres on the approval of Rs 10 crore in government grants under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) scheme to M/S Pride East Entertainment, a company owned by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, the wife of the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Gogoi raised serious ethical questions about this allocation, arguing that government subsidies should be directed towards local entrepreneurs and farmers in need of support.
Gogoi expressed concerns about the speed and nature of these transactions, emphasizing the need for a thorough inquiry to maintain transparency and uphold ethical standards.
In the interest of accountability and transparency, Gogoi called upon Chief Minister Sarma to disclose the precise amount of money received by M/S Pride East Entertainment in the form of grants and subsidies from the Assam state government so far, if any.
He underscored the importance of applying uniform ethical standards to both central and state government grants, arguing that if accepting money as grants from the union government is considered unethical, grants from the state government to the accused company should be treated the same way.