Assam govt. decides slew of measures for tea tribe communities

The decision was taken at a meeting held with the Tea Tribe Welfare Department in the conference room of Chief Minister’s Office in Assam Secretariat on Friday where discussions were held for the empowerment of tea tribe communities in Assam.

Taking note on the inherent qualities of the youths belonging to tea tribes, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the proposed Residential Institutes will be mandated to hone the football and archery skills of the tea tribes youths which will be his government’s a fitting reply to the empowerment of the tea tribe youths of the State.

Sonowal also directed that the training institutes should be structured in a such a way that the institutes become an exhaustive centres for educational, health and physical development of the youths.
        
The meeting also decided to enhance scholarship amount of the tea tribe communities and accordingly the existing scholarship amount of Rs. 1880 has been increased to Rs. 5000 for the youths from IX to XII standard annually.

For the Students of degree level the existing scholarship amount of Rs. 2530 has been enhanced to Rs. 7000.
       
Moreover, for the patients belonging to tea tribe communities, a Patient  Guest House will be built at Guwahati Medical College Hospital and all the members of the tea tribe community will be covered under an insurance plan to be sponsored by the Government.
          
To promote the colourful culture of the tea tribe community, the meeting also decided to hold state level workshop on ‘Jhumur’ and training camps in 39 sub-divisions of the state.

Besides, to encourage the literary pursuits of the tea garden communities, the Assam CM asked Tea Tribe Welfare Department to take steps for publishing at least five books written by writers from tea tribe communities annualy.

Moreover, eight open area stage to be construed in the areas inhabited by tea tribe communities.
        
In another development State Government also notified creation of a post named Tea Garden Specific Plantation Inspector today who will do the qualitative and quantitative assessment of tea plantation in the State. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tea Tribes Welfare Pallab Lochan Das and a host of senior officers were present at the meeting.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)