GUWAHATI
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced an inter-district cleanliness contest entailing a first prize of ₹100 crore to be utilised for developmental activities in the champion district.
The contest has been inspired by an inter-village and tea garden contest in eastern Assam’s Khumtai Assembly constituency organised from February 17 to March 6. The Chief Minister on Friday declared the winners of this contest, a brainchild of local BJP legislator Mrinal Saikia.
Five jury groups comprising academics, technocrats and professionals in other fields had assessed a total of 172 villages and tea estates in the constituency under the Golaghat district. The number of villages that remained in contention for the awards was 121.
Mr. Sarma visited three places in Khumtai to declare the winners from sealed envelopes containing the names of the cleanest villages ranked according to their levels of cleanliness and hygiene. The awards were for the five cleanest villages from each of the four zila parishad constituencies under Khumtai Assembly seat — Brahmaputra, Khumtai, Kothalguri and Dakhin Hengera.
He also doubled the value of the prizes. Accordingly, the first position holder village and tea garden were awarded the amount equivalent to the construction of a 2 km concrete road while the second, third, fourth and fifth position holders were awarded ₹20 lakh, ₹16 lakh, ₹10 lakh and ₹6 lakh respectively.
As a bonus, one of the cleanest villages, Bortika was declared as a Village Micro Wildlife Sanctuary.
“In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, we shall now organise an inter-district cleanliness competition and the winners of this contest shall be awarded a sum of ₹100 crore to be utilised for developmental activities,” he said.
Mr. Saikia said half of the amount awarded to the winners of the inter-village cleanliness contest would be provided from his local area development fund. “The other half will be borne by the State government,” he said.
