Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Central Government has invested over ₹21,000 crore in strengthening the education ecosystem of Northeast India over the past 11 years. She highlighted that the region has witnessed a remarkable transformation in connectivity and infrastructure, with new states joining the railway network and the construction of several greenfield airports.
During her two-day visit to Assam, Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone of the Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University at Bholaguri in Gohpur, Biswanath district, the state’s first university dedicated to technical and vocational education and training (TVET). The institution, named after the young freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua, will be established at a cost of ₹415 crore over 241 acres, featuring a built-up area of 7 lakh sq. ft.
Sharing the achievements of the Centre, she said, “Since 2014, over 850 new schools have been set up in the Northeast. The first AIIMS in the region is now operational, and more than 200 skill development institutes have been launched. The country’s first sports university is also being established in the region.”
In Assam, the state has seen the creation of 15 new medical colleges, and work is underway on South Asia’s largest cancer care centre. The state will also soon host the second Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the Northeast.
The Finance Minister underlined the government’s commitment to collaborating with state administrations to elevate the education and skill ecosystem, while also boosting connectivity. “In the last 11 years, 10 new greenfield airports have come up in the region, and states like Manipur and Meghalaya have been added to India’s railway map for the first time,” she said.
Paying homage to Kanaklata Barua, she reflected on her legacy: “At just 17, when she could have been entering a university, she chose to sacrifice her life for the nation. A university in her memory is a tribute long overdue.” Barua, part of the Mrityu Bahini during the Quit India Movement, was martyred in 1942 while leading a procession to hoist the national flag at Gohpur police station.
The upcoming university will house academic blocks for 2,000 students, hostels for 1,620, along with faculty residences, a guest house, and student facilities. It will offer advanced courses in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Drone and Navigation Technologies, Brain-Computer Interfaces, and Smart City Systems.
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Nirmala Sitharaman hailed the project as a fitting tribute to Kanaklata Barua’s patriotism and urged the youth to carry forward her indomitable spirit through innovation, skill, and service to the nation.
