Assam girls who secure 1st div in HS to get 'scooty' in Dec: Himanta

Guwahati: Assam government has announced that it will distribute a scooty each to those girl students who secure first division in the higher secondary (HS) examination starting from the month of December this year under Dr Banikanta Kakoty Award scheme.

Addressing a meeting after distributing the Anundoram Borooah Awards at Srimanta Sankardeva Auditorium, Assam minister for finance, health, and education Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the state government has also decided to involve 1,000 state-run schools under “Pratahbaan Scheme” so that students of such schools can compete with their counterparts in other leading private schools in any discipline. The scheme will be started from the month of November this year.

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Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal pressed a button during the meeting after which an amount of Rs 20,000 each was officially deposited to the accounts of those students who secure first 75% marks and above in the HSLC examination.

Altogether, 16,944 students who passed HSLC, High Madrassa, Senior Madrassa examinations this year by scoring 75 percent total aggregate marks or above, received the Anundoram Borooah Award 2020 on Wednesday. This year, the State Government has not given the students the option of availing laptops instead of cash award of RS 20,000 each due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

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An amount of Rs 33 crore has been spent from the state exchequer this year for the award, the minister said.

Elaborating on various government schemes relating to the department of education of the state government, Sarma also said that Assam has becomes one of the selected states of the country which has spent 6% of GDP in both education and health sector.

“Each and every individual should always try their level best to fulfill the dreams of their parents. The society should always try to protect the talents. Loss of talents means a great loss to the entire country,” the minister added.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, senior officers of the state government were also present during the programme among others.