Manish Deka and Tarun Saikia during the felicitation in Guwahati on Thursday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, June 6: Chief minister Tarun Gogoi today announced state government jobs to Everesters Tarun Saikia and Manish Kumar Deka and assured government sponsorship for a Mt Everest expedition from Assam in 2015.

In an official ceremony to hand over cheques for Rs 20 lakh each to both the summiters, who are businessmen by profession, the chief minister directed forest and panchayat and rural development minister Rakibul Hussain to announce on his behalf that both would be absorbed into government jobs.

The minister did not specify the nature of their jobs and sports minister Ajit Singh, who was also present on the occasion, said Dispur would have to accommodate them wherever they were fit for.

However, sources said both would be offered deputy superintendent rank officers’ jobs in the Assam Forest Protection Force.

Gogoi also said he would ensure that Rs 3 crore would be earmarked in next year’s budget to fund the 2015 expedition.

Speaking on the occasion, Gogoi said the dates May 18 (Saikia’s summit) and May 24 (Deka’s summit) would be inscribed in golden letters in Assam’s history and arranged for the showing of a short film on the duo’s achievement in every school to inspire children.

He said his government was initiating the process to set up a full-fledged mountaineering and adventure sports institute in the state, which would produce more adventure sportspserson in the near future.

“The mindset of the youths of our state has changed over the last 12 years. They have become adventurous because they have the potential for it. I am sure, the feat of Tarun and Manish flying the gamosa at the highest peak of the world will inspire the new generation to undertake their kind of adventures. I would, however, state categorically that there is no shortcut to success. Patience is vital,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Deka had appealed for a hiked allocation in the budget for adventure sports.

He was speaking at a felicitation ceremony organised by the Assam Sports Journalists Association, Guwahati Press Club, Electronic Media Forum and various other media organisations.

The state government had an allocation of Rs 5.2 lakh in the budget this fiscal.

Saikia and Deka presented Gogoi their photographs at the peak and a snow axe as a token of their success.