Guwahati, October 08: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who was on a one-day tour to Assam, announced her ministry’s approval for a new overbridge over the Brahmaputra river connecting Palashbari on the South bank with Sualkuchi on the North bank involving a financial outlay of Rs 3094 crore.
Announcing this at a meeting while launching a web portal for the Right to Public Services Act in Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati, the Union Finance Minister said that the new bridge connecting the North and south bank of the Brahmaputra river would aid to the convenience of the people.
She also said that once completed the bridge would reduce the distance and travel time of Guwahati with its adjoining Northern districts like Nalbari, Barpeta, Baksa, etc.
Finance Minister Sitharaman said that she is really impressed with the quality and rate at which different multi-lateral projects in Assam are being planned and executed. She said that in the last four months the infrastructure projects in Assam received a renewed push to expedite the rate of development of the state.
Stating the Central government’s priority for the creation of infrastructure across the country, the Union Finance Minister said that the budgetary allocation for the year 2021-22 witnessed 34 percent for infrastructure projects. She has also said that the way Assam is going forwarding in planning and executing different externally aided projects, the State will definitely set a precedent in catching up with other advanced states of the country.
She also said that to give succor to the people and economy post the COVID pandemic, the government has planned out a revival package that is sustainable and has a long-term effect. She said that Assam is showing the way how development initiatives should be planned to sustain its growth.
Launching the web portal of the RTPS, the Union Finance Minister said that the service will help in adding convenience to the people and bringing them close to the crux of development without having them run after the government systems and procedures.
The Union Minister also inaugurated an exhibition on externally aided projects in presence of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma including many of his cabinet colleagues.
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma while speaking on the occasion termed the day as a shining occasion in the parlance of governance of the state. He said that launching the web portal would help in meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of minimum government and maximum governance.
He also said, “It is a giant leap in taking the governance closer to our people as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched Right to Public Services Web Portal www.rtps.assam.gov. This web portal is a way forward towards electronic delivery of ARTPS notified public services to the people as a means to real-time governance”.
He also said that the service will help in strengthening delivery channels so that nobody is left from the development agenda.
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Stating that through the Right to Public Services Act was launched in 2012, the services could not make much headway because of certain constraints. He, therefore, stated that to make RTPS more responsive to the service of the people, the government decided to use IT solutions. He also reiterated the State government’s commitment to bring about fast, effective and resilient reforms in governance in tandem with the rapidly transforming world. Therefore, the web portal would prove to be a boon in providing notified citizen-centric service delivery to the people, Dr.Sarma added.
The Chief Minister also said that the service will also empower the people of the state to apply and avail of public services from the comfort of home or public facilitation centers which will help in saving their time for receiving fruits of governance.
Organized by the Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension, and Public Grievances Department, the launching ceremony was attended among others by State Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta, Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah, and several senior government officers.
