Assam government launches scheme to distribute scooties to 22245 girl students

The Assam Chief Minister said this while attending Dr. Banikanta Kakaty Merit Award presentation ceremony as chief guest at Numali Jalah Parade Ground, Amingaon in Kamrup district on Sunday.

The programme was organised by the higher education department of the Government of Assam under ‘Pragyan Bharati’ Scheme.

While launching the award ceremony handed over scooter keys to five meritorious girl students, Sonowal congratulated the meritorious students and their parents said that the red coloured scooters presented on the occasion would carry the success stories of the girl students in every nook & corner of the state.

The state government under the scheme would provide scooter to meritorious girl students who have passed the higher secondary examination for the year 2020 in first division.

22,034 petrol driven scooter and 211 battery driven scooter would be provided to 22,245 girl students with an expenditure of Rs 144.30 crore.

Meritorious girl students of other districts would be given the award on January 2 and 3 next year.

Sonowal said that the scheme would transform the lives of many girl students boosting their self-confidence besides inspiring many more to take up studies seriously.

The Assam Chief Minister exuding confidence on the abilities of the meritorious girl students said that today women have made their mark in every sphere of social life.

He termed the 21st century as the age of women and said that large scale joining of women in the three wings of the defence force of the country testifies the capabilities of the women folk.

Stating that the Central and the State governments have been taking numerous steps to uphold dignity of women and safeguarding their pride, Sonowal highlighted schemes such as PM Ujjala, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Jan-DhanYojana etc.

He also spoke about the ‘Arunodoi’ scheme which benefits several lakh women of the State and said that State governments welfare schemes in last four and a half years have touched the lives of 70 lakh families including women and helped them to be self-sufficient.

Further underlining the steps taken by the State government to ensure women safety, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the State government has taken an uncompromising stand against those involved in crimes against women.

He said that the State government has setup fast track courts to expedite trial against persons involved in crimes against women and said that the State government’s measures have given new confidence to women. The Assam Chief Minister on the occasion also urged the girl students to abide by the road protocol and traffic guidelines.          

Minister of Education, Finance, Health, PWD etc. Dr. HimantaBiswaSarma while speaking on the occasion said that the State government launched Dr. Banikanta Kakaty Merit Award in 2017-18 and presented scooters to 1000 girl students who secured first division.

However, in 2018-19 and 2019-20, the award could not be presented due to several reasons, he said adding that the State government has now decided to give away the scooters to the meritorious girl students of that period in February next year which would benefit 5000 and 10000 girl students respectively.

He further said that the State government while presenting more than 22 thousand scooters to girl students this year would be able to cover all together 40 thousand girl students by this award since its launch in 2017-18.          

Minister of Law and GDD Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Minister of State for Education department Bhabesh Kalita also delivered speech on the occasion. While Principal Secretary of Higher Education department V Kalyan Chakravartty delivered the welcome address, the award ceremony was also attended by MP Queen Oja, MLAs Atul Bora, Pranab Kalita, Suman Haripriya and Rekibuddin Ahmed, Commissioner and Secretary of Education department PritamSaikia, Director Higher Education Gitimoni Phukan, DC Kamrup Kailash Kartik, country sales head of Hero Moto Corp Ashutosh Verma, senior officials of the education department and district administration, award winning girl students of Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) districts and their parents among others.