Assam's Dhubri girls' hostel still missing despite Rs 75 lakh sanction

Nearly eight years after the Assam government sanctioned Rs 75 lakh for a 50-bedded girls' hostel at the Post Graduate Teacher Training (PGTT) College in Jhagrarpar, Dhubri, not a single brick has been laid. 

The promised facility, meant to provide safe and affordable accommodation to hundreds of girl students, remains a distant dream—with the proposed site now lying neglected and overrun with grass.

The project, approved under the Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) of the 12th Five Year Plan, received formal clearance from the state’s Elementary Education Department, including both No Objection and No Dues Certificates. The land was cleared and approved following a District Level Committee decision in August 2016, with the final nod granted on July 15, 2017.

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However, despite official approvals and a dedicated allocation, construction never commenced. Students—especially from low-income families—are left scrambling for rented accommodations in town, pushing them into financial hardship and often jeopardizing their academic pursuits.

A local community leader voiced strong disappointment, stating, “It’s heartbreaking to see such a well-intended project rot in bureaucracy. Where is the money? Why was it never built?” The lack of action has sparked concerns about corruption, mismanagement, and the lack of transparency in the region’s development work.

With no accountability from authorities and mounting frustration among students and parents, calls for a probe into the delayed project are growing louder. The student community and civil society groups are now demanding immediate construction of the long-promised hostel and a full investigation into the stalled project’s finances.