Union Budget: Assam CM thanks Centre for special assistance to tackle floods

Guwahati, July 23 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday thanked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for proposing special assistance to the state to meet the challenges posed by recurring floods.Reacting to the Union Budget, the Chief Minister in his statement on social media said: “We are extremely grateful for the special assistance Assam will receive under this Budget to help meet the challenges posed by floods.”FM Sitharaman while presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha proposed aid to the flood-affected states like Bihar, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim with flood management and development support, including financial backing for flood control projects.The Chief Minister said that enhanced allocation under the PM Awas Yojana and Schemes such as PM Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan will also have a net positive impact in Assam.The infrastructure push via Rs 1.5 lakh crore to states focus on improving agricultural productivity, green energy initiatives and generous allocation for rural development would also have a multiplier effect on Assam’s growth, CM Sarma pointed out.Noting that the Union Budget stands out for its unprecedented push towards employment generation and powering small businesses, the Assam CM said that schemes such as PM’s Package for employment and skilling, one crore paid internship opportunities and employment-linked incentives will be game changers.Complimenting the Union Finance Minister and her team for presenting a ‘Budget that lays down a solid roadmap to maintain India’s growth momentum’, the Chief Minister said that the Budget seeks to propel the economy of the country to the third position in the world, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.“The excellent reforms announced for land registration will complement our ongoing efforts like Mission Basundhara 3.0”, the Chief Minister stated.CM Sarma said that the Union Budget 2024 has several progressive measures such as the review of the IT Act, withdrawal of Angel Tax, reducing the fiscal deficit, sustaining capex and several other measures that will ensure India remains the fastest growing economy for years to come.–IANSsc/dpb