SILCHAR : Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, Mines & Minerals and Barak Valley Development, Kaushik Rai, delivering an elaborate public address after hoisting the national tricolour on the 79th Independence Day at the District Sports Association (DSA) Ground, Silchar, declared that Assam was firmly on the path of prosperity under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. Addressing a large gathering, the Minister said, “Assam is marching towards a prosperous future under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Barak Valley is becoming a symbol of this transformation.”

The Minister began his speech by paying heartfelt tributes to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and remembering the supreme sacrifices of freedom fighters such as Maniram Dewan, Kushal Konwar, Piyali Phukan, Mukunda Kakati, Kanaklata Barua, Bhogeswari Phukanani and many others who gave their lives for India’s independence.

He reminded citizens that the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, celebrated across households in Cachar and beyond, reflected the patriotic fervour and unity of the people in honouring the sacrifices of martyrs.

Dwelling on the government’s achievements over the past four years, Minister Rai presented a detailed account of ongoing and upcoming projects in Barak Valley. He highlighted the unprecedented pace of infrastructure development, noting that multiple four-lane road projects are underway, including the Silchar–Churaibari stretch worth ?4,662 crore, Silchar–Bairengti at ?1,887 crore, and Silchar–Jiribam at ?1,315 crore.

He further announced the progress of the East-West Corridor from Nirim Bungalow to Harangajao costing ?1,800 crore, targeted for completion by 2026, and the Union Cabinet’s approval of the ambitious ?24,000 crore Barapani–Panchgram High-Speed Expressway. He also informed that the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the Poilalool–Hangroom road and the Mainarband–Lanka alternative railway line had been submitted.

Major urban development projects were also highlighted. Rai stated that 45% of the bridge over the Shilghat Barak River had already been completed, while work on the ?95 crore Madhuraghat Bridge and the ?700 crore flyover from Rangirkhari to Capital Point would begin this year.

The Barak Valley Secretariat, progressing at a rapid pace, is set for inauguration in January 2026, while the Silchar Convention Centre and District Library & Auditorium are nearing completion and will be inaugurated within the year. The Minister also assured that the Dolu Greenfield Airport project had crossed its public hearing stage and construction would commence soon.

On healthcare, the Minister highlighted several transformational projects, including the 500-bed block at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) worth ?165 crore, now 82% complete and scheduled for inauguration in October. A 206-bed Superspeciality Hospital funded by JICA with a project cost of ?2,160 crore is also set to start construction within three months, featuring advanced departments such as Neurology, Cardiology, Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Nephrology and Urology.

A 100-bed District Hospital in Lakhipur worth ?127 crore is under construction, while a Critical Care Block worth ?20 crore will soon come up at Silchar Civil Hospital under PM CARES. He further announced that Barak Valley’s second medical institution, Shri Bhoomi Medical College and Hospital, had been sanctioned with an outlay of ?612.32 crore, fulfilling a key promise of the state government.

Minister Rai proudly shared that Assam had made remarkable strides in healthcare under the National Health Mission, bringing down the maternal mortality rate from 490 in 2001-03 to 125 in 2020-22 and the infant mortality rate from 68 in 2005 to 32 in 2022. He also noted that dialysis services under the PM National Dialysis Programme had benefitted over 25,000 patients with more than 7.65 lakh sessions delivered.

With new medical colleges under construction in Pragjyotishpur, Charaideo, Bishwanath, Bongaigaon, Nagaon, Tamulpur, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Golaghat and Sivasagar, Assam is poised to become a hub of medical education and treatment.

Touching upon rural development, the Minister said that under PMAY-G, 17 lakh houses had been completed in Assam in just the last four-and-a-half years. In agriculture, ?1,344 crore was disbursed to more than 21 lakh Aadhaar-certified farmers through PM-Kisan in 2024-25, ensuring transparency. One million soil health cards were distributed under the Soil Health Mission.

On economic growth, Rai announced that Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was projected to reach ?7.25 lakh crore in FY 2025–26, up 113% from 2020–21. He noted that budget expenditure had nearly doubled to ?1,44,345 crore in 2024-25, while fund utilisation had hit a record 86%. Capital expenditure rose from ?12,487 crore in 2020-21 to ?26,409 crore in 2024-25.

Flagship welfare schemes like Arunodaya, benefitting 38 lakh women with ?1,250 per month, Apun Ghar, Apun Vahan and Mukhyamantri Aat Kali Duti Pat have collectively uplifted millions of households, tea garden workers and contractual employees.

The Minister also spoke of food security measures, informing that 70.35 lakh families were benefitting under NFSA, with 6.69 lakh Antyodaya Anna Yojana households receiving 35 kg free rice and 63.66 lakh priority families receiving 5 kg free rice per person every month.

Under PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, 4.05 lakh metric tonnes of rice had been distributed in three months, benefitting 70 lakh ration card holders. Transparency was ensured through Anna Seva Diwas and the One Nation One Ration Card system. He also announced the distribution of subsidised pulses, sugar and salt from October in ten districts, to be expanded statewide by November 2025.

The Minister further outlined achievements in higher education, women and child development, public works, sports and culture. Schemes like Niyut Moina and Pragyan Bharati had benefitted lakhs of students, while over 62,000 Anganwadi centres are operational under Mission Shakti and Mission Saksham Anganwadi.

The Khel Maharan 2.0 grassroots sports initiative saw record participation of over 76 lakh youth. He also mentioned the preservation of Assam’s cultural heritage and the administrative reforms undertaken through digital governance platforms like Swagat Sathitha and Shiksha Setu Assam, the latter having won the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration.

Earlier in the day, Minister Kaushik Rai, accompanied by District Commissioner Mridul Yadav, IAS, and SSP Numal Mahatta, offered floral tributes at Gandhibagh Martyrs’ Memorial. He also visited Red Cross Hospital and Central Jail Silchar, where he distributed fruits and sweets and urged inmates to embrace reform and return as responsible citizens after release.

Meanwhile, Independence Day was also observed with equal fervour in Lakhipur co-district, where Commissioner Dhrubajyoti Pathak hoisted the tricolour at Arl HS School field, and in Dholai co-district, where Commissioner Roktim Baruah hoisted the flag at the PWD field and took the guard of honour.

Adding to the festive mood in Silchar, an exhibition football match between Cachar District Administration XI and Cachar District Bar Association XI was held at DSA Ground, with the DC’s XI clinching victory in a closely contested game.

The 79th Independence Day celebrations at Silchar, blending homage to the martyrs with a forward-looking vision of development, reflected Assam’s steady march towards progress and prosperity under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, with Barak Valley poised to play a central role in this journey.

This was stated in a Press Release issued by the Regional Office of Information & Public Relations, Barak Valley Zone, Silchar, Assam.

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