The Assam Cabinet has approved a ₹2,750-crore loan from the World Bank aimed at strengthening educational infrastructure and advancing skill-based learning initiatives for the state’s youth. The decision was announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following a cabinet meeting held in Dibrugarh on Wednesday.
According to the Chief Minister, the massive financial package is designed to build a skill-centric ecosystem spanning government schools and early childhood education centres. Of the total sanctioned amount, 400 schools across Assam will see infrastructure upgrades, while 1,733 Anganwadi centres will be modernised, each receiving ₹25 lakh for the revamp. The plan also includes specialized training for school principals and headmasters in institutional leadership and management.
The funding structure will be shared between the central and state governments, with the Centre covering 90% of the loan repayment. Assam’s contribution is expected to be ₹275 crore, Sarma informed reporters.
In a significant addition to the state’s efforts to create international employment avenues, the Cabinet also approved measures under the Chief Minister’s Foreign Language Initiative for Global Human Talent (CM-FLIGHT) scheme. Under this programme, 3,000 young people from Assam will be trained in the Japanese language and offered technical training in job-oriented sectors.
The CM said the government would provide each candidate with a ₹1.5 lakh scholarship to cover part of the training expenses, which are estimated to be around ₹3.5 lakh per candidate. The remaining amount can be accessed through education loans, which the trainees are expected to repay after securing employment abroad.
The CM-FLIGHT programme will initially focus on three skill areas: driving, IT services, and nursing, all developed in collaboration with Japanese firms and training institutes. The first round of training is scheduled to begin in October this year, with a roadmap to include additional fields such as engineering in later phases.
The initiative is part of a larger strategy by the Assam government to equip its youth with globally relevant skills and improve the quality of foundational education across the state.
