Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma gave 215 appointment letters to Tea Tribes & Adivasi youth for health sector jobs. He highlighted the successful implementation of the 3% reservation policy, which has enabled these appointments.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday presented appointment letters to 215 candidates from the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities for various technical and non-technical posts in the state's health sector at a function held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
It may be noted that appointment letters have been given to 88 candidates in technical posts and 28 in non-technical posts under the Directorate of Medical Education and Research; 56 candidates in technical posts under the Directorate of Health Services; and 43 candidates in technical posts under the Directorate of Health Services (Family Welfare), according to a press release.
Massive Recruitment Drive Fulfills Promises
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that last year the State government took a decision to provide 3 per cent reservation for eligible youth from the Adivasi and Tea Tribe communities in all Grade III and Grade IV government jobs. "When the decision was taken, many had expressed aspersions about its implementation. However, the government has been able to overcome all such doubts and successfully implement the decision," he said.
As per the release, referring to the conduct of several recruitment examinations by the government, CM Sarma said that examinations were held for recruitment of teachers in lower primary and middle schools, teachers in high schools and senior secondary schools, various technical posts in the health sector, and Grade III and Grade IV posts through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE).
The Chief Minister recalled that during the campaign for the last Assembly elections, the government had promised to provide one lakh government jobs to youth. However, surpassing this target, the government has so far provided employment to 1,45,449 youths. With the inclusion of the 215 candidates in government jobs, the total number has now reached 1,45,664. He further stated that in the first part of the coming month, appointment letters will be issued to candidates selected for Grade III and Grade IV posts through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination, after which the total number of appointments will reach close to 1,60,000. He described such a massive scale of recruitment as unprecedented and beyond imagination for the State.
Reservation Policy Expanded for Adivasi and Tea Tribes
As per the release, under the three per cent reservation quota for Adivasi and Tea Tribe communities, 720 candidates have been appointed so far this year. Including candidates selected through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination under the same quota, the number will rise to around 1,200 to 1,300. He remarked that without the provision of 3 per cent reservation, such a large number of appointments from the community would not have been possible.
CM Sarma further announced that the three per cent reservation for Adivasi and Tea Tribe communities will be extended not only to Grade III and Grade IV posts, but also to Grade I and Grade II posts of the State government. This, he said, will bring about a major socio-economic transformation of the entire community through appointments to high-level positions such as magistrates, police officers, and professors in colleges and universities. He observed that the measure will also create a competitive academic environment among students from tea garden areas.
Comprehensive Welfare and Development Initiatives
Focus on Education
To promote highly educated youth in tea garden regions, the present government has already established 120 model higher secondary schools, and work on another 100 such schools will begin in January. Referring to medical education, the Chief Minister stated, "30 MBBS seats in medical colleges have been reserved for students from the Tea Tribes. Recently, an additional seat per medical college has also been announced for students from the community, resulting in 14 more seats being reserved."
Social Justice, Culture, and Land Rights
He noted that appointments to posts such as nurses, laboratory technicians, engineers, junior engineers, and others have enabled people from the Adivasi and Tea Tribe communities to achieve social justice. In addition, 44 hostels have been constructed across the State for students from these communities, and financial assistance is being provided to youth from tea garden and Adivasi communities under the Shaheed Dayal Das Panika Self-Employment Scheme.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that through the performance of the Jhumoir in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ambassadors from 72 countries, the rich culture of the community has been showcased on the global stage. He highlighted various initiatives taken to advance the community in the fields of education, sports, and culture. He further referred to the historic decision taken by the government in the recent session of the Assam Legislative Assembly to grant land rights to tea garden residents over the land of the garden lines.
Future Vision and Call to Service
Stating that people from tea garden areas are benefiting from various welfare schemes of the State government, CM Sarma said, 'If the positive changes currently being witnessed in tea garden life continue over the next 10 years, the community will be able to compete on an equal footing with other developed communities of the state. " He cited several examples of recent changes in tea garden life in this context.
He also announced that the 3% reservation in government jobs for eligible youth from the Adivasi and Tea Tribe communities will be calculated on the basis of total vacant posts, instead of being adjusted against the quota earmarked for Other Backwards Classes.
The Chief Minister urged the newly appointed candidates to serve the people of their community without hesitation, particularly by rendering services in hospitals located in tea garden areas. He also called upon them to remain responsible towards their parents, families, and society during their service careers.
As per the release, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ashok Singhal, Minister for Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare and allied departments Rupesh Gowala, MLAs Sanjay Kishan and Rupjyoti Kurmi, Vice-Chancellor, Srimanta Sankardeva University of Health Sciences Anup Kumar Barman; Commissioner and Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, P Ashok Babu; Commissioner and Secretary, Medical Education and Research Department, Siddharth Singh; Mission Director, National Health Mission, Lakshmanan S; Director of Medical Education Manoj Kumar Choudhury; Director of Health Services (Family Welfare) Kamaljit Talukdar; Director Health Services Umesh Phangcho; along with a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)