Hailakandi: The third Sainik School of Assam will come up in Cachar district of Barak Valley in south Assam with 151 bighas of land having been allotted for the purpose in Derby tea estate, 25km from Silchar town.

The first Sainik School of Assam was established in Goalpara in 1964 by the Sainik Schools Society of New Delhi under the Union ministry of defence. The second school at Golaghat is now under construction.

The deputy commissioner of Cachar has informed the principal secretary to the government of Assam's revenue and disaster management department that land for the school has been sanctioned.

The proposed 600-seat capacity school will have 67 per cent quota for students of Assam.

The plan has been drawn up by the PWD with an estimate of Rs 80.51 crore which will be borne by the state government. Construction will begin after the funds are sanctioned.

The president of Dr Shyama Prasad Mookherjee Swartha Suraksha Parishad, Haran Dey, said he first sent a letter to the Sainik School Society in April 2016 requesting it to consider setting up a Sainik School in Barak Valley.

In reply to his request, the secretary of the Society informed him that it is the responsibility of the state government to provide infrastructure in the form of land, educational and residential building, games field and other equipment, Dey added, quoting the letter.

On the basis of the letter, the joint secretary of elementary education department, F.H. Choudhury, wrote to the deputy commissioner of Cachar for the allotment of land, Dey added. He said the entire Barak Valley will be benefited once the school comes up.