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Guwahati, Dec 9: Assam Government on Friday sanctioned Rs. 259 crores to construct libraries across the state for inculcating the reading habits among the students.
The approval to sanction the above-mentioned amount was given during the weekly cabinet meeting.
The cabinet said that libraries for children and adolescents, and digital infrastructure will be created under the ‘Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2023-24’.
The scheme aims at commencing the construction of new libraries and procurement of books, furniture, and computers with internet connectivity in 2,197 village panchayats and 400 municipal wards for an estimated amount of Rs 259.70 crore. This will ensure that children and adolescents get access to the latest books and are connected with the National Digital Resources.
Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved the traditional Moh-juj festival organized during Magh Bihu, however, they will have to be organised under Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
The cabinet gave “In-principle approval" to the issue of detailed procedure/SOP for permitting traditional buffalo and bullfights to be organised during Magh Bihu at Ahatguri, Morigaon district, Nagaon district or in any other part of Assam.
The SOP will aim to ensure no deliberate torture or cruelty is carried out on the animals and their well-being is provided for by the organizers during the annual Moh-juj festival, an integral part of the centuries-old Assamese cultural tradition.
Furthermore, the cabinet renamed the Directorate of Char Areas Development to the ‘Directorate of Minority Affairs & Char Areas, Assam’.
The cabinet informed that a socio-economic assessment will be conducted of indigenous Assamese Muslims through the Directorate of Minority Affairs and Char Areas.