GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that the State Government is planning to employ 10,000 additional ASHA workers to work specifically for providing birth-control measures and contraceptives to women in ‘char chapori’ (riverine) areas of the State.
Speaking at the State Assembly on Monday, July 19, the CM further said that a “population army” will be created in these areas with 1,000 local youths to work on issues like child marriage and those related to birth-control.
He added that discussions will be held on the cultural identity of these riverine communities, rather than on their religious identity. "The discussions on the cultural identity of indigenous Muslims and Muslim communities of char-chapori regions will be held separately,” he said.
Speaking on the same topic, Minister of Welfare of Minorities Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the government plans to hold discussions with representatives of char-chapori regions to discuss inclusive development of the residents in these areas.
On the issue of population explosion among the Muslim communities of the char-chapori areas, Baghbar MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed asked the Government to take strict actions against child marriages, while also proposing an increase of the legal marriageable age for girls from 18 years to 20 years. Agreeing with the Government's earlier claim that the population explosion ratio among riverine communities is worrisome, Ahmed suggested development in the education scenario, proper awareness of birth control measures among women, and provisions to implement such measures through ASHA workers.
Stating that population growth is inversely proportional to literacy, Ahmed suggested inclusive socio-economic development of the community alongside significant development in education. The suggestions were well taken by CM Sarma, who assured of developments on similar lines.
Speaking on literacy of the minority community, Minister Patowary also said that Assam has a total of 2,188 educational institutions in the char-chapori regions and areas with majority Muslim migrant communities. Of these, 1,804 are primary schools, 241 high schools, and 99 higher secondary schools. A total of 8,272 teachers are educating 2,80,858 students in these schools. The average student-to-teacher ratio is 25:1. Further, there are 9 Adarsh Mahila Vidyalayas in these communities.