Bongaigaon: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of an engineering college at Sanyasi Pahar in Jelkajhar here on Thursday.

Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of the college, Sonowal said his government would develop the engineering college with modern infrastructure and for this he asked the cooperation of the residents of Jelkajhar and its neighbouring villages - Mulagaon, Barsangaon, Deuripara and Bakhrapara - in developing the institution with proper care and attention.

He also assured the people that the college would be built at an estimated cost of Rs 56 crore on the 45 bigha campus on the Sanyasi hillock here.

"During Congress rule, nothing was done to set up the college despite repeated demands by the local people. It was the BJP government which had granted permission to build the institution," said local legislator and food and civil supplies minister Phani Bhusan Choudhury.

The All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union on Thursday placed its demand before the chief minister to name the engineering college either by"Maharaj Naranarayan" or "Bir Chilarai".

Sonowal and Assam education minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, who was also present during the ceremony, assured the union and the local people of considering their proposal on the name of the institution.

Assam tourism minister Chandan Brahma highlighted the possibility of developing a medical college on the Bongaigaon civil hospital campus.

Bhattacharya promised to complete the construction of the engineering college within the next 30 months.

Bongaigaon deputy commissioner Babulal Sharma thanked the state government for laying the foundation stone of the engineering college.