Aizawl, Jan 26, 2025, IANS

Guwahati, Jan 26 (IANS) During his three-day visit to Dibrugarh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the progress of various Central and State Government schemes in the Naharkatia co-district here on Sunday, officials said. He received comprehensive updates from senior officials across departments regarding the implementation of various schemes and co-district development efforts. Notably, the Assam government set up co-districts in the state which is a first-of-this-kind approach in the country. In the first phase, the state government rolled out 39 co-districts in October last year. The important features of these co-districts include smaller administrative units below the district level and timely access to essential government services by citizens. Chief Minister Sarma claimed that this significant step will improve efficiency bringing governance to the grassroots and it will also streamline citizen-centric services. In the meeting, Sarma reviewed the ongoing projects of the Public Works Department in Naharkatia, directing the completion of the Sasoni-Belbari Ali and Kikir-Balirghat connecting bridges by February of the next year. The CM also directed the timely construction of hanging bridges under the supervision of the Forest Department, emphasising the use of locally produced materials and advising that imported materials be used only when absolutely necessary. With a focus on enhancing sports infrastructure, the CM discussed the development of the Naharkatia Hockey Stadium. The construction of a prison in Naharkatia was also deliberated, along with plans for transforming the Naharkatia Nagaon Rajkhowa playground into a mini stadium. He also directed officials to prepare proposals for establishing an additional district and sessions court in each subdivision and instructed the timely completion of under-construction school buildings, including Sasoni Higher Secondary School. The Chief Minister further proposed repurposing closed government schools for official use in the future. The developmental works of the Naharkatia Legislative Assembly constituency were also reviewed in Sunday’s meeting. Sarma directed the Health, Agriculture, Power etc. departments to complete ongoing projects within the set timelines and instructed senior officials to ensure that employees working from locations other than their designated workplaces return to their respective departments. Highlighting the importance of defining agricultural field boundaries through tree planting, he called on the Agriculture and Forest Departments to initiate a tree-planting movement for a greener Assam. The issue of providing drinking water to tea workers was addressed, with the CM instructing the concerned department to explore the feasibility of installing water pipes in the tea gardens to establish a reliable water supply system. Sarma also directed relevant authorities to classify the unclassified land of the Naharkatia co-district and ensure their inclusion in the appropriate category. He proposed the installation of solar-powered lighting and fencing systems to prevent human-elephant conflicts.