Assam govt. launches Rs 30,000 crore CMSGUY scheme to develop villages

Chief Minister Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana, a mega mission with a financial outlay of Rs. 30,000 crore will be implemented in all the villages in Assam in the next five years culminating in 2021-22.

The programme will be implemented through 'saturation model' by covering each revenue village through focused interventions in direct economic activities, logistic support including market linkages, and community support.
     
Speaking on the occasion Sonowal said that through this mission it has been aimed at bringing in revolutionary changes by doubling the farm income in the State.

Pointing that as per Situation Assessment Survey during the period from 2002-03 to 2012-13, the farm income in Assam was recorded only 0.88 percent as against national average of 5.2 per cent.

Sonowal said that in view of this, his Government has decided to launch CMSGUY to put in concerted efforts in a time bound manner by facilitating massive investments in rural areas for complete rural transformation in a period of 5 years to stimulate rural productivity. .
      
Referring to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of lending dignified life to all living in villages, the Assam CM said that the scheme has been designed to bring in holistic development of the villages and lend dignity to the people living in rural areas.

He also said that one of the basic components of the scheme is to strengthen the rural economy as he said that without infusing life to the village economy, Assam cannot progress.
         
Sonowal also urged upon the people to approach the scheme with the spirit of ‘Team Assam’ and make it a noble and successful one to bring in fundamental changes in rual lives and infrastructure.

Pointing to the inherent potentiality, prosperity and possibility of the State, Sonowal exhorted the need to rediscover Assam and make a good use of the verdant resources of Assam.

He also called upon the officers, employees and people from all walks of life to lend their cooperation in making the scheme a success.
      
Finance Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma while speaking on the occasion said that the scheme has the potential to usher in a new horizon of development so that the farm income of Assam becomes double by 2021-22 which will also happen to be the 75 anniversary of India’s Independence. He also said that under the scheme five team will be constituted in each block to work as a catalyst to implement different missions of the programme.

“These teams will prepare development plans for them to be implemented in each village. Under the scheme village knowledge centre will be set up in each village and by bringing in synergy between the scheme and MGNREGA play ground will be built in each village,” Sarma said.
         
It may be noted that the planned average investment for the scheme is about Rs.1.20 crore per Revenue village. The total requirement for the Mission is Rs.30,000 crores over a period of five years. For the current year, an amount of Rs.500 crore was provided in 2016-17 year’s budget and this amount has been handed over by the Finance Minister to Sonowal who is the Chairman of Mega Mission Society which has been constituted for implementation of the scheme.

Moreover, Rs 1000 crore is proposed in the Supplementary Demand. At the end of the financial year, the CMSGUY will have Rs 1500 crore in its coffer.
          
CMSGUY will have nine Missions which are Fishery Mission, Milk Mission,  Agriculture Mission,  Land Management and Conservation Mission,  Sericulture, Khadi and Cottage Industry Mission,  Road and broadband connectivity,  Semi-processing, processing and market linkages, "Youth-Yoga-Sports" Mission and e-gram Mission by developing Village Knowledge Centers by strengthening traditional Namghar and other community institutions.
      
Deputy Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Dilip Kumar Paul, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Irrigation Minister Ranjit Dutta, Power Minister Pallab Lochan Das, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Naba Kumar Dolley, MP R.P. Sharma, CM’s Media Advisor Hrishikesh Goswami, Chief Secretary V.K. Pipersenia several MLAs were present on the occasion.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)