Assam Government Enhances Educational Support for Flood-Affected Students
Revival of Educational Schemes
Assam CM during the launch of Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu schemes on Thursday in Guwahati
Guwahati, Aug 6: The Assam administration has reintroduced the Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina Asoni and Mukhya Mantri Nijut Babu Asoni schemes, expanding their reach and providing financial aid for students and schools impacted by floods.
During an event at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the broadened scope of these initiatives, along with a one-time financial aid package for students and educational institutions affected by flooding.
According to the Chief Minister, the Nijut Babu scheme, which initially supported 50,000 students, will now extend its benefits to 70,000 students this year, raising the total beneficiaries to 1.2 lakh by including first and second-year students.
Furthermore, the Nijut Moina Asoni scheme has been expanded to accommodate students up to their third year or sixth semester, including those in the newly established four-year undergraduate program.
This year, students enrolled in diploma courses at polytechnic institutes will also be eligible for these schemes.
Under the updated provisions, female higher secondary students will receive Rs 800 monthly, while undergraduate students will get Rs 1,250, and postgraduate and B.Ed students will receive Rs 2,500 through the Nijut Moina Asoni scheme. Male undergraduate students will be granted Rs 1,000 monthly, and postgraduate students will receive Rs 2,000 under the Nijut Babu Asoni scheme.
Additionally, the Chief Minister clarified that discollegiate and non-collegiate students will no longer qualify for these benefits.
To assist educational institutions impacted by floods, Sarma announced a one-time grant of Rs 2 lakh for each of the 793 schools located in the four most severely affected districts of Upper Assam.
"We will allocate Rs 2 lakh to 793 schools in Jorhat, Golaghat, Sivasagar, and Charaideo. This includes 550 schools in Sivasagar, 111 in Charaideo, 103 in Jorhat, and 29 in Golaghat," he stated.
A survey to evaluate the damage to schools caused by the floods will commence on August 9 to assess losses and determine the need for further financial assistance.
The government also plans to provide direct financial support to flood-affected students for purchasing books.
Higher secondary students in Sivasagar and Charaideo will receive Rs 1,000, undergraduate students Rs 3,000, and postgraduate students Rs 5,000. Students enrolled in Polytechnic and B.Ed courses will also benefit.
"Today, 21,000 students will collectively receive Rs 4.26 crore, while schools will benefit from approximately Rs 15 crore," Sarma added.
Expressing concern over the decreasing number of students choosing Science, the Chief Minister warned that this trend could jeopardize Assam's future skilled workforce.
"While the number of Arts students is rising, Science students are dwindling. Consequently, we are not producing sufficient candidates for fields like medicine and engineering. The competition in science has diminished to the point where students with around 350 marks are gaining admission into medical colleges. We must reverse this trend," he emphasized.
Encouraging students to pursue Science, Sarma highlighted the vast employment opportunities it offers, while advising Arts and Commerce students to acquire specialized skills alongside their academic studies to boost their employability.