JOIN USAssam Budget: Smartphones for school students, Rs 1 lakh for family of Covid-19 victims
The first Budget of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government in Assam proposed to offer smartphones to 8 lakh school students to bridge the digital divide and Rs 1 lakh to the family of those killed in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Presenting the state Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said a smartphone with free internet package would be provided to the students of class 9 and 10 studying in vernacular medium schools, who could not attend digital classes conducted during the coronavirus pandemic due to lack of a smartphone.
"The digital divide deprived many students of digital classes conducted during the lockdown and the pandemic period. This is going to provide relief to them," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters after the Budget was presented by Neog in the state Assembly on Friday.
Neog is the first woman finance minister of Assam. She was a senior Congress minister in Tarun Gogoi-led government but joined the BJP before the Assembly elections held in March-April.
The Budget also announced that Rs 1 lakh would be provided to the next of kin of those who died due to Covid-19 infection. A total of 8,555 persons including 56 children (below 18 years) died due to Covid-19 in Assam till July 13.
The state government earlier started a scheme under which Rs 2.5 lakh is being provided to the women who lost their husbands due to Covid-19.
Assam still has over 20,000 active Covid-19 cases and over 2,000 cases are being reported daily.
In the Rs 566-crore deficit Budget for 2021-22, the Assam government proposing one lakh government jobs and no new taxes.
The Budget also announced to provide free lunch (cooked meal) to urban poor under the Food Security Act.
It also earmarked Rs 12,000 crore to wave off microfinance loans of over 26 lakh people, mostly women who had taken loans from microfinance organisations but were struggling to pay back. This was a pre-poll promise of the BJP in Assam.
It also announced the decision to set up an agriculture commission to offer more impetus to agriculture in the state.