PM Narendra Modi, FM Sitharaman make a big push in BJP’s poll preparedness in Assam

Guwahati: Days to go before the poll schedules for 126-member assembly are announced, the ruling BJP is making elaborate preparations for the battle of the ballots.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Dhekiajuli on Sunday, Feb 7, and dedicate a number of developmental projects. Of course, this is an official visit of Mr Modi.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday came to Khanapara area in Guwahati and distributed Rs 3,000 each to 7.47 lakh tea garden workers in the state. The scheme involves a total expenditure of Rs 224 crore.

Elections to state assemblies in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are likely to be announced in the third week of February.

The offer of financial assistance to tea workers under the third tranche of the Assam Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar Mela Scheme will have a major influence in the lives of the locals.

“Before 2014 Lok Sabha polls, PM Narendra Modi had wished to work for the upliftment of tea garden workers and accordingly several schemes were launched after the NDA came to power,” Ms Sitharaman said.

For the third tranche of the flagship scheme, an additional amount of Rs 3,000 each will be credited to the bank accounts of 7,46,667 workers. Each tea worker had earlier received Rs 5,000 in two phases. The incentive was made through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode to 6,33,411 bank accounts of tea gardens in 2017-18 and 7,15,979 accounts in 2018-19 across 752 tea gardens.

Prime Minister would on Sunday launch the Assam Mala Project for the upgrading of the state highways. He would also lay foundation stones for two medical colleges at Biswanath and Charaideo.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said that since 2014, Assam has experienced unprecedented development initiatives due to special concerns and love shown for Assam and other northeastern states by the Prime Minister.

Mr Modi would also visit West Bengal on Sunday and dedicate developmental projects.