Guwahati, Jan 4: Assam took significant steps towards strengthening disaster preparedness and accelerating development on January 3, with the state government unveiling new initiatives spanning emergency response, women-led entrepreneurship and critical infrastructure.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta formally handed over 40 motorised high-speed inflatable rescue boats to the Fire and Emergency Services at a ceremony held at the Gateway Terminal in Guwahati. The induction of the boats is expected to substantially improve the state’s ability to respond swiftly to floods and other water-related disasters, which Assam faces almost every year. Officials said the new equipment would enhance the operational reach of both the Fire and Emergency Services and the State Disaster Response Force, enabling faster and safer rescue operations. Senior police and disaster management officials, including ADGP and Director of Fire and Emergency Services Surendra Kumar and ASDMA Additional CEO Minakshi Das Nath, were present at the event along with SDRF personnel.
On the same day, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma continued the government’s focus on economic empowerment by distributing financial assistance to thousands of women entrepreneurs under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan. In Sonitpur district’s Borsola Assembly Constituency, cheques of Rs 10,000 each were handed over to 30,655 women, while seed capital support was extended to 39,701 women in the Sipajhar Assembly Constituency of Darrang district. With these latest disbursements, the scheme has now reached more than 14.46 lakh women across 62 Assembly constituencies, officials said.
The Chief Minister also advanced the state’s healthcare and education infrastructure by virtually laying the foundation stone for a super-speciality hospital at the Tezpur Medical College and Hospital campus. The Rs 306-crore project will feature a six-storey building with specialised departments such as cardiology, neurology, nephrology and urology, along with advanced emergency services and modern support facilities. In addition, Sarma laid the foundation stone for the Karmabir Chandranath Sharma Government Model Degree College at Nij-Bihaguri, a Rs 35-crore project aimed at expanding access to higher education, and inaugurated the Sarkahat Mini Stadium built at a cost of Rs 11 crore.
Officials said the series of initiatives underlined the state government’s multi-pronged approach to governance, combining disaster resilience, women’s economic empowerment and long-term investments in healthcare, education and sports infrastructure to support Assam’s overall development.
