Assam CM focuses on employment generation in pre-budget meeting

Guwahati: The Assam government would focus on employment generation, development activities, education, power, health, agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, drinking water, sanitation, irrigation in its forthcoming budget.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi held his pre-budget discussions with state Chief Secretary Jitesh Khosla and other senior officials here on Thursday and emphasised on generating employment opportunities with a mission, an official release said.
Gogoi further underscored the need for institutionalised approach to entrepreneurship development, vocational education and skilled training and called for special incentives to create a pool of skilled and semi-skilled workforce to sustain long periods of growth.
The Chief Minister, who holds the finance portfolio, asked officials to focus on development of the backward areas, especially tea, tribal and char (riverine) areas in this year’s budget.
He also laid emphasis on providing safe drinking water and sanitation, besides augmenting the power scenario and minor irrigation. On the agriculture front, he asked officials to incorporate incentives for small and marginal farmers.  Health, quality education and rural housing would also be given prominence in the budget, the release added. (PTI)