Assam: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday that the central government has invested ₹21,000 crore in the education sector in Northeast India over the past 11 years. Additionally, connectivity in the region has received a boost during this period—several states have been connected by railway networks and ten new greenfield airports have been built. Nirmala Sitharaman, on a two-day visit to Assam, laid the foundation stone for the Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University in Bholaguri, Gohpur, Biswanath district, Assam, which will be the state’s first university focused on technical and vocational education.
Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University to be Established
Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University will be built on 241 acres of land at a cost of ₹415 crore. The university will have a built-up area of 700,000 square feet. He said, “Since 2014, the central government has invested ₹21,000 crore in the education sector in the Northeast. More than 850 new schools have been opened, the region’s first AIIMS has been commissioned, and more than 200 skill development institutes are operational. Furthermore, the country’s first sports university is also being established in the Northeast.” He added that 15 new medical colleges have been built in Assam so far, and South Asia’s largest cancer care center is being developed in the state. The Northeast’s second IIM (Indian Institute of Management) will also open soon.
Assam on the Path of Development: Education, Road, and Air Connectivity Accelerating
The Finance Minister said that in addition to education, the central government is also working with the Northeastern states on roads, bridges, tunnels, and railway projects. He added that 10 new greenfield airports have been built in the region in the last 11 years. During this period, Manipur and Meghalaya have been connected to India’s railway network for the first time. Sitharaman stated that the central government’s objective is to connect the youth of the Northeast with modern education and better connectivity so that the region can become economically and socially self-reliant.
University named after Kanaklata Barua: A symbol of sacrifice and inspiration
Paying tribute to freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “At just 17 years old, when she should have been studying at a university, she sacrificed her life for the country. This university should have been built in her name much earlier.” Kanaklata Barua was a member of the “Mrityu Vahini” and was martyred in police firing while trying to hoist the tricolor at the Gohpur police station during the Quit India Movement on September 20, 1942. The Finance Minister said that while building a memorial or preserving the Gohpur police station would undoubtedly be inspiring, a university named after her would be a true source of inspiration for generations to come. He said that this university will prove to be a milestone in the field of technical education, where courses will be conducted in subjects like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Blockchain, Drone Technology, Quantum Computing, Brain-Computer Interface, Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart City.
