Guwahati, 20 December (HS). Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday formally provided one-time financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each to 6,124 Namgharias and 2,148 Purohits (priests) of the state on behalf of the government at a function held at Janata Bhawan (Assam Secretariat) . Assam has promised financial assistance to the corona affected population of the state. Owing to the huge number of beneficiaries of this initiative, checks of Rs 10,000 were symbolically handed over to 10 Purohits and 10 Namgharias at Janata Bhavan. The amount was provided to the remaining beneficiaries through bank transfer in their respective accounts.
Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that this initiative has been taken by the government due to the hardships faced by the priests and Namgharias during the peak of Corona, when temples and mutts were closed to contain the spread of the pandemic. was closed.
The Chief Minister said that the Neo-Vaishnavite maths and temples not only play a spiritual and religious role in the daily life of the people of Assam, but also hold cultural significance. Citing the example of Ojapali performance during Durga Puja, the Chief Minister said that there is a very fine line of difference between religious rituals and cultural rituals in Assam. He said that Assamese culture and identity is incomplete without “Naam Kirtan”, though theoretically it could be a religious ritual.
The Chief Minister said that on January 1, 2023, the government would formally accept the responsibility of preserving Pratima Pandeya Baruva’s residence as a heritage structure from her family members at a function to be held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra Auditorium.
Assam cabinet ministers Bimal Bora, Jogen Mahan, Ranjit Kumar Das and members of the Assam Legislative Assembly were also present in today’s programme.
