Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal (left), union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the ‘Jan Jan Ka Budget Programme in Guwahati on Thursday

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the union budget 2020-21 would provide relief to the lower middle class and middle-class sections.

“The budget would boost economic momentum in the country while generating employment and augmenting growth,” Sonowal said.

He was speaking at the Jan Jan Ka Budget Programme in Guwahati on Thursday.

The programme was organised as the union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman was in Guwahati.

It was an interaction programme between Sitharaman and academicians, economists, policy experts, industry representatives etc. and was held at Assam Administrative Staff College.

Speaking further he said, “Allotment of Rs 11,500 crore in the budget for Jal Jeevan Mission will provide piped water supply to rural households in the country.”

Sonowal also thanked the Sitharaman for selecting Sivasagar as one of the five sites in the country which would be developed with an onsite museum and other tourist amenities.

Sivasagar was the seat of glorious 600-year Ahom rule that shaped greater Assamese society and it was a matter of pride for the state that Sivasagar was included among five locations as an iconic site, he said.

He also highlighted the budget announcement of the completion of The Jal Vikas Marg on National Waterway-1 at the earliest and boosting of inland water connectivity by completing the 890 Km Dhubri-Sadiya stretches within 2021.

He opined that this step would augment the inland water connectivity in the state while boosting business as Assam used to export timber, coal, tea etc. via waterways during the pre-independence period.