Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday ceremonially launched the distribution of one-time financial assistance to Rongali Bihu celebration committees at a function organized by the Cultural Affairs Department at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
It is to be mentioned that the State government has decided to provide one-time financial assistance only to those Bihu celebration committees which organise Rongali Bihu functions from Sankranti to the 6th day of the Bohag month of Assamese calendar every year and are a minimum of 10 years old.
Under this initiative, the Chief Minister distributed Rs 1.5 lakhs per committee to 138 nos. of committees of Kamrup (Metro) and 142 nos. of committees of Kamrup district. Altogether 1,265 Bihu committees of 30 districts will be given this financial assistance and for this purpose, the Culture Affairs Department has allocated a sum of Rs 18.97 crore.
"In addition to socio-economic development, a government has a responsibility to promote and disseminate culture. For the first time in the history of the state, a one-time financial assistance has been provided by the government to the Rangali Bihu Celebration Committees," Sarma tweeted (roughly translated).
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that the State government has abounded responsibility to work for the socio-economic development of the people of the State as well as promote the state's rich culture.
He said that considering the socio-cultural significance of Bihu for the people of Assam, the state government has decided to provide one-time financial assistance to the Rongali Bihu committees that organize Bihu functions from Sankranti to the 6th day of the Bohag month of Assamese calendar every year and are minimum 10 years old.
Underlining the history of Rongali Bihu which was originally celebrated for seven days, the Chief Minister urged the Bihu committees to maintain its originality so that the youth could realize its true form instead of considering Bihu just as a cultural function.
The Chief Minister also called upon the Bihu celebration committees to use gamosa which are produced locally in the handlooms instead of power loom at Bihu functions.
While Director Cultural Affairs Debojit Khanikar delivered the welcome speech, the programme was also addressed by Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah.
Secretary of the Cultural Affairs Department Laya Madduri and representatives of the Rongali Bihu celebration committees of Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup district were present on the occasion.
( With inputs from ANI )
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