Rs 2,000 crore earmarked for development of Barak valley: Assam CM Sonowal

Silchar: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said his government has earmarked Rs 2,000 crore for rapid development of the Barak Valley.

Four bridges would be built over the Barak river and some flyovers elsewhere would come up for easing traffic congestion, Sonowal said while addressing a Special Distribution Camp for differently-abled persons at Silchar yesterday.

The Chief Minister said his government was committed to the equal development of the Barak valley and Brahmaputra valley for all-round development of the state.

Referring to differently abled persons, he said an ex gratia of Rs 5000 and monthly Rs 1000 would be provided by the state government to them for their treatment from next year.

The Chief Minister distributed wheel chairs and tricycles among other items among the beneficiaries in the camp and also handed over a cheque of Rs 4 lakh as ex gratia to a person who had lost his wife due to burn injuries.

Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot said that the central government was taking steps to improve the social perceptions of specially abled persons and had launched several schemes for them like an insurance of Rs two lakh, free treatment, free distribution of mobile phones and other digital equipment.