Dibrugarh, Oct. 3: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal today laid the foundation stone of the Northeast's first exclusive industrial training institute (ITI) for dibyangans (differently abled) on the Dibrugarh ITI premises at Borbaruah in the district.

Dispur dubbed the move a 'unique initiative'.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said they were committed to work for the development of the dibyangans as his government wants to build a stronger Assam with equal participation of all sections.

Sonowal said Rs 250 crore would beprovided as one-time financial assistance to 4.5 lakh dibyangans of the state during 2017-18.

'The ITI for the dibyangans shows our commitment to empower the weakest of the weak of society and give them a life of dignity,' Sonowal said.

He also vowed to build the new ITIs as a 'model institution' for all other ITIs to follow and that more trades and seats would be added to the proposed institute to enable the differently-abled youths a better chance to earn a dignified livelihood.

Talking to The Telegraph, Rituraj Bora, director of employment and craftsmen training department, said the ITI was one of the unique steps taken by the Assam government to help the differently abled to lead a good life. 'Under the skill, employment and entrepreneurship department this step was taken to build an ITI for dibyangans. Altogether Rs 5.99 crore was given for the first phase of the project. The building will be constructed based on special needs of the differently-abled people. The ITI will have 60 seats for three different trades. There will be separate hostel facilities for boys and girls on the campus,'' Bora said.

Sonowal also laid the foundation stone of a new 500 TPD (tonne per day) methanol and 200 TPD formalin project of the Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APL) at Namrup.

The ambitious project for which the company has invested Rs 1,337 crore is scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of 2019.

The new plant is expected to produce 1,65,000 tonnes of methanol and 70,000 tonnes of formalin annually.

The state company, one of the profit-making PSUs of the government, started commercial production from June 1976 and currently caters to the domestic market as well as neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal.

The chief minister in his speech said the new methanol-formalin project would usher economic stability, increase productivity and generate direct and indirect employment for youths .