-NJ Thakuria
Assam government in Dispur recently handed over two-wheelers to 22,245 girl students of Kamrup and Kamrup (metro) districts under the Dr Banikanta Kakaty merit awards plan.
Senior BJP leader and State chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while gracing the award presentation ceremony held at Amingaon in North Guwahati, urged students to develop their innovative skills to be successful in life.
Dispur, under the Pragyan Bharati scheme, decided to hand over two-wheelers to meritorious girl students who passed the higher secondary standard examination (2020) in the first division. In both the central districts of Assam 22,034 petrol-driven scooters and 211 battery driven scooters would be provided to total 22,245 girl students. Beneficiaries of other districts would be given the award on 2 and 3 January next year.
The scheme was launched in 2017-18 and 1000 girl students, who secured first division, were offered scooters. But due to some unavoidable reasons, the award was not provided in 2018-19 and 2019-20. Dispur now plans to give scooters to those deprived girl students too (around 15000 beneficiaries). Once the process is completed, altogether, 40 thousand girl students would be benefited since its launch. Congratulating the students and parents, Sonowal commented that the red-colour scooters presented on occasion would carry the success stories of girl students in every nook & corner of the State. The scheme would transform the lives of many girl students boosting their self-confidence besides inspiring many more to take up studies seriously, he added.
Stating that the Union government in New Delhi and Dispur were taking numerous steps to uphold the dignity of women and safeguarding their pride, Sonowal highlighted schemes like PM Ujjala, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Jan-Dhan Yojana etc. He spoke about the Arunodoi scheme that benefits several lakh women of Assam. He did not forget to advise the girl students to abide by the road protocol and traffic rules.
State education, finance, health, etc. minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, State law minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, junior education minister Bhabesh Kalita, BJP Parliamentarian Queen Oja, legislators Atul Bora, Pranab Kalita, Suman Haripriya & Rekibuddin Ahmed, education commissioner Pritam Saikia, higher education director Gitimoni Phukan, Kamrup district magistrate Kailash Kartik, education department officials with others were present on occasion.
