Guwahati: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was on a one-day tour to Assam, announced her ministry’s approval for a new bridge over the Brahmaputra river connecting Palashbari on the South bank with Sualkuchi on the North bank involving a financial outlay of Rs. 3094 crore rupees.
Announcing this at a meeting while launching a web portal for the Right to Public Services Act in Sankardev Kalakshetra on Thursday (October 7), the Union Finance Minister said the new bridge connecting the North and south bank of the Brahmaputra would aid to the convenience of the people. She also said that once completed, the bridge would reduce the distance and travel time of Guwahati with its adjoining Northern districts like Nalbari, Barpeta, Baksa etc.
Finance Minister Smt. Sitharaman said that she is impressed with the quality and rate at which different multi-lateral projects in Assam are being planned and executed. She said that in the last four months, the infrastructure projects in Assam received a renewed push to expedite the rate of development of the state. Stating the Central government’s priority for creating infrastructure across the country, the Union Finance Minister said that the budgetary allocation for the year 2021-22 witnessed 34 per cent for infrastructure projects. She has also said that the way Assam is going forward in planning and executing different externally aided projects, the State will set a precedent in catching up with other advanced states of the country.
She also said that to assist the people and economy post the COVID pandemic, the government has planned out a sustainable revival package with a long-term effect. She said that Assam is showing the way how development initiatives should be planned to sustain its growth.
Launching the web portal of the RTPS, the Union Finance Minister said that the service will help in adding convenience to the people and bringing them close to the crux of development without having them run after the government systems and procedures.
The Union Minister also inaugurated an exhibition on externally aided projects in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, including many of his cabinet colleagues.
While speaking on occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Sarma termed the day as a shining occasion in the parlance of governance of the state. He said that launching the web portal would help in meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of minimum government and maximum governance.
He also said, “It is a giant leap in taking the governance closer to our people as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched Right to Public Services Web Portal www.rtps.assam.gov. This web portal is a way forward towards electronic delivery of ARTPS notified public services to the people as a means to real time governance”. He also said that the service would help in strengthening delivery channels so that nobody is left from the development agenda.
Earlier on Thursday, in a bid to augment power generation in Assam, Bhoomi Pujan of APGCL’s 120 MW Lower Kopili Hydro Electric Project at Longku, Dima Hasao, was performed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. In December 2020, the Government of India signed a $231 million ADB loan to boost electricity generation capacity in Assam through the construction of a 120 megawatt (MW) hydroelectric power plant that will enhance the availability of electricity for households.
This run-of-the-river project over the Kopili river will help increase clean energy supply by 469-gigawatt hour (GWh) by 2025 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 360,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also laid the foundation stone of improvement and up-gradation work of a 90 km road from Haflong Tinali to Lower Haflong. The ADB aided Assam Road Network Improvement Project (ARNIP) aims to enhance road transportation in Assam by assisting the PWD to build sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
