Guwahati, July 17: Dispur today announced its decision to launch the Unicef-funded Meena project to boost the overall education scenario in tea community and minority dominated areas.

The project will see the formation of Meena Clubs in these areas.

A day after meeting elected representatives of the two communities and officials, Assam education minister Ripun Bora today announced a host of measures aimed at addressing their concerns.

A government official quoting from a Unicef literature said, “Meena is a character in animated films developed by Unicef about issues relevant to children. There are hundreds of Meena Clubs or Associations in various parts of India. Meena is being used in many schools to help impart life skills. Meena is an important component in the gender sensitisation programmes at the National Institute of Public Co-operation and Child Development.

Launched in 1988, the target audience for the series was not only children but adults who often make decisions about young people in a community. The goal was to change behaviour in the family and throughout the community.”

The official said this character could help improve the education scenario of these areas where awareness level is low.

Meena Clubs will check the rte of dropouts and also help in increase the number of children being admitted to schools. The clubs will help organise cultural and sporting activities.

The other measures announced by Bora today included roping in community volunteers to teach in single-teacher schools, launch awareness campaigns about health and hygiene and education along with a special review of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan schemes in these areas.

The government has also formed a committee comprising MLAs of these areas to review and monitor the functioning of the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya.

Ministers Prithibi Majhi and Nazrul Islam, vice-chairman of the planning board Sarat Barkataki, MP Silvius Condpan, parliamentary secretaries Sarat Saikia and Ajit Singh, legislators Jibontara Ghatowar, general secretary of the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) and MLA Hasib Bashir Ahmed Qassimi were present at the meeting.

Qassimi said this was the first of its kind meeting that the AUDF has attended.

“The meeting was productive. The minister has noted down and endorsed our concerns about the plight of the minority and we are awaiting the results. This is the first meeting convened by the government to address the concerns of the minority population. Five of our MLAs attended the meeting which lasted nearly three hours,” he said.

The government today released Rs 85.25 lakh for 74 madarsas and felicitated eight toppers of Class X examinations of the past eight years.