Guwahati/Dibrugarh, Jan. 24: Assam chief minister Sarbanada Sonowal today promised an Asam Sahitya Sabha delegation that he will release Rs 1 crore for the literary body.

He also promised all possible support for the success of the Sabha's centenary celebrations in Sivasagar.

The delegation, led by Sabha's in-charge president Prahlad Chandra Tasa, met Sonowal in Dibrugarh where he had gone to inaugurate the survey work for the proposed Brahmaputra Express Highway. Members of the reception committee of the centenary celebrations were part of the delegation.

Sources in the Sabha said the Rs 1-crore grant is for the Sabha's central body to take up some specific work.

"The chief minister advised us to make the Sivasagar session a reflection of the spirit and ideals of great leader Chaolung Suikapha who had united different communities. He advised us to ensure that different communities participate in the celebrations," said Anil Saikia, working president of the reception committee.

Sonowal said the people of the state have a strong emotional attachment with the Sabha and its image should not be tarnished at any cost.

The controversies regarding the Sabha's present executive body and its former general secretary Paramananda Rajbongshi had brought all preparation for the centenary celebrations to a standstill for nearly a month. Sources in the reception committee said they are now putting in extra effort to make up the delay.

The session will be held from February 8, a week after its initial date, at Jerenga Pathar in Sivasagar district.

The delegation thanked Sonowal for allotting 50 bighas for the Sabha at Jerenga Pathar. The plot will be preserved as a historic ground for housing replicas of historical monuments like Rangghar and Karengghar, among others. The delegation informed Sonowal that plans are afoot for preparation of a vision document laying down the road map for the future course of the Sabha.

Statues of the Sabha's first president, Padmanath Gohain Barua, its first general secretary, Sarat Chandra Goswami, compiler of Hemkosh Hemchandra Barua, writers Lakshminath Bezbaroa and Mamoni Raisom Goswami and singer Bhupen Hazarika will be installed during the celebrations. Each statue, made of fibreglass, will be 10 feet tall.

Saikia said nearly 150 valuable books will be released during the centenary session. "We have already printed 88 books and the rest will be ready soon," he said. A large number of children's books highlighting prominent personalities of Sivasagar district will be released, he added.

A Sabha delegation, led by Tasa and general secretary (in-charge) Abanimohan Saharia, will visit Sivasagar tomorrow to take stock of the work for the centenary celebrations.