Assam to borrow Rs 2,750 cr from World Bank for education sector: Himanta

In a series of transformative decisions, the Assam Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday approved a Rs 2,750 crore mega project to overhaul school infrastructure, enhance police effectiveness in co-districts, and launch a new initiative to train youth in foreign languages for overseas employment.

"The government has decided to take a loan of Rs 2,750 crore from the World Bank for the education sector of the state. The Centre will repay 90 per cent of the loan, while the remaining Rs 275 crore will be returned by the Assam government," he added.

The school education project, titled Supporting School Education in Assam (Assam: School Education and Adolescent Wellbeing Project), aims to construct 400 new schools and 1,733 Anganwadi Centres. It will also provide trained teachers and modern classroom infrastructure with a focus on science and technology.

In another major decision, the Cabinet gave the green light to the Chief Minister’s Foreign Language Initiative for Global Human Talent (CM-FLIGHT). The scheme will provide structured foreign language training to 180 youth in the current financial year, with an investment of ₹1.5 lakh per candidate. The initiative is aimed at boosting global employability and overseas placement.

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To address urban challenges, the Cabinet also cleared the Collective Infrastructure Development of Apartment Buildings scheme. Funded under MLALADs and the United Fund, it will cover essential services such as internal roads, power, water supply, and security systems for apartment residents.

Further, the Cabinet approved the formation of the Assam Innovation and Startup Foundation under the Department of Innovation, Incubation and Startups (DIIS) to support innovation and create job opportunities, including those abroad.

In the policing sector, ₹150 crore was sanctioned for police station development under the MOITRI scheme. In a bid to improve efficiency, the government also approved the creation of 10 new posts of Co-District Superintendent of Police (CDSP) to oversee operations in 10 soon-to-be-operational co-districts.

Under Mission Basundhara 3.0, the Cabinet approved the conversion of 158 bighas of land in six districts, 234 Tea Grant/Period lands, and land allotment for 48 infrastructure projects and 27 non-individual entities.

The slew of approvals reflect the Assam government’s emphasis on governance, youth empowerment, infrastructure development, and citizen welfare.