Guwahati, Feb 1 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday described the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as pragmatic, people-friendly and development oriented.

The Chief Minister thanked the union government for the allocation of Rs 34,000 crore in the budget for construction of more than 1,300 kms of national highways in Assam in the next three years.

He also said that National Highway works with the proposed investment of Rs 19,000 crore are currently in progress in Assam and have already given a major boost to road connectivity in the state.

Sonowal in a statement also appreciated the new initiative proposed in the Budget for the welfare of tea workers, especially women and children in Assam and West Bengal.

The Chief Minister said that allocating Rs 1,000 crore for the tea workers would have long-term impact on the healthcare and overall development of the community.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Finance Minister for making landmark allocation for improvement of road infrastructure and welfare of tea workers of the state.

The Chief Minister said that the Budget proposals would reinvigorate human capital and innovation besides giving a major push to health and well-being, physical and financial capital, infrastructure as well as inclusive development in the country.

Expressing satisfaction on the Union Budget 2021-22, the Chief Minister said that since 2016, there has been a remarkable growth in the infrastructure of connectivity in Assam due to unprecedented synergy between the Central and state governments.