Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said 140 of the 844 martyrs of Assam Movement were from the Nath Jogi community.
Sonowal said the young generation of the brave Nath Jogi community must be inspired by their glorious history.
Assam CM Sonowal said this while speaking at the centenary celebration closing ceremony of the Asom Pradeshik Nath Jogi Sanmiloni at Nehrubali in Nagaon.
‘‘Nath Jogi community is one of the strongest communities in Assam and they have made tremendous contributions to the socio-economic development of the state,” said Assam CM Sonowal.
“The young generation of the Nath Jogi community must empower themselves with knowledge and skills to achieve success in their lives and contribute towards the development of the society,’’ he added.
Nath Jogis have honesty, capability, and dedication to make Assam one of the best states in the country, he said and urged the young members of the community to strive hard to achieve excellence in all spheres.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s motto of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikash, Sabka Viswas’, the CM said both central and state governments have initiated schemes for all sections of the society like farmers, youth, women and divyangs.
He urged Nath Jogi community members to take advantage of the government schemes for achieving all round development.
Chief minister Sonowal said the state government has taken the historic step of providing land pattas to 1 lakh indigenous landless people and out of which 50,000 people have already been given land pattas.
To sustain the control of indigenous people over Assam’s culture, language, politics and economy, land right of indigenous people is very important and that is why this historic initiative of providing land pattas had been taken, he said.
He also informed that women SHGs of the state have been provided financial assistance under Kanaklata Mahila Sawalikaran Achoni and he urged women folks of the Nath Jogi community to take advantage of this scheme.
He also said 1 lakh farmers of the state were provided one-time financial grant of Rs 5,000 under the Chief Minister’s Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana and universal old-age pension scheme has also been started by the state government.
Sonowal also announced that the state government would provide land and financial assistance to set up a guest house at Guwahati for the Nath Jogi community.
He highlighted the importance of maintaining unity and harmony among all sections of society to make Assam one of the developed states.
Only harmony and not conflict can lead the state towards progress and prosperity, he said.
The CM also referred to Prime Minister Modi’s initiative to take Assam and Northeast into high growth trajectory and he called on the young generation to work hard for achieving success at the global stage.