GUWAHATI: Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal announced that state government would provide Rs. 10 crore to Corpus Fund of Asom Sahitya Sabha, Rs. 5 crore to Bodo Sahitya Sabha and Rs. 3 crore each to the other indigenous Sahitya Sabhas as one time grant. Accordingly, Asom Sahitya Sabha would be able to derive an amount of Rs. 80 lakh annually as interest from the corpus fund while Bodo Sahitya Sabha would receive Rs. 40 lakh and other indigenous Sahitya Sabhas would get Rs. 24 lakh each annually.
The decision was taken after CM Sarbananda Sonowal today held a meeting with the representatives of 22 indigenous Sahitya Sabhas (Literary Bodies) including Asom Sahitya Sabha and Bodo Sahitya Sabha at Brahmaputra State Guest House.
The Chief Minister also announced that the state government would provide one time financial grant of Rs. 50 thousand to one thousand new writers belonging to various communities of the state under ‘Bhasha Gaurav’ achoni which was a budget announcement. The Chief Minister hoped that this scheme would be able to inspire young generation writers to engage in literary works in different indigenous languages of the state.
CM Sonowal urged the indigenous literary bodies to put emphasis on research works for preservation and promotion of indigenous language and culture and assured all help from the state government in this regard.
Representatives of Asom Sahitya Sabha, Bodo Sahitya Sabha, Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabha Assam, Deori Sahitya Sabha, Dimasa Sahitya Sabha, Asom Nepali Sahitya Sabha, Nikhil Rabha Sahitya Sabha, Karbi Sahitya Sabha, Mising Sahitya Sabha, Nikhil Bishnupriya Sahitya Sabha, Purbanchal Tai Sahitya Sabha, Tiwa Sahitya Sabha, Asom Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Garo Sahitya Sabha, Moran Sahitya Sabha, Asom Chah Janagusti Sahitya Sabha, Sonowal Kachari Sahitya Sabha, Kurukh Sahitya Sabha, Konch Rajbangshi Sahitya Sabha, Shautal Sahitya Sabha, Mundari Sahitya Sabha, Sarania Kachari Sahitya Sabha attended the meeting.
Minister for Commerce and Industries Chandra Mohan Patowary, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami, Legal Advisor to the Chief Minister Shantanu Bharali, Commissioner and Secretary of Primary and Secondary Education department Pritam Saikia were also present in the meeting.