GUWAHATI: Amid controversy over the creation of “beneficiaries” across the state, the Assam government on Tuesday announced Rs 10,000 grant-in-aid to each puja committee during the Durga Puja Festival, which will begin on October 21.
“The cabinet today gave its nod for providing Rs 10,000 to each puja committee of three years old. A total of 6,953 puja committees will be given such grants,” PHE and Tourism Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
“This grant will be given with a request to stop the collection of donations in the name of puja during these days,” Baruah said.
The decision was taken even as the government made a new rule this year: every Durga Puja committee will have to pay Rs 300 for Durga Puja and Rs 100 for idol immersion. Puja committees will be permitted to conduct or immerse the puja only after making this payment through treasury challans.
In another major policy decision, the state cabinet has decided to enhance the limit of the authorised share capital of Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) from the existing Rs 150 cr to Rs 1000 cr to accommodate the proposed investment of the Assam government in two paper mills in Nagaoan and Cachar.
“To effectively utilise HPCL’s resources, investment of Rs 758.75 crore made by the Assam government under grants-in-aid towards the acquisition of assets and payment of relief package to be converted as an equity investment by Assam government in AIDC.
Limit of authorised share capital of AIDC will be enhanced from existing Rs 150 cr to Rs 1000 cr to accommodate the proposed investment of the Assam government,” the Minister said.
“This will strengthen and empower AIDC as a premier industrial development corporation,” he said.
The cabinet also gave its nod for the creation of a new cadre of Prosecution service to be created by framing an Assam State Prosecution Service Rules, 2023 to streamline the system of prosecution and increase conviction rates in the State
A regular cadre of Public Prosecutors, Additional Public Prosecutors, Special Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors with competitive pay scales will be created by framing the Assam State Prosecution Service Rules
Those appointed will be regular government servants and subject to all extant leave, conduct, travelling, discipline & appeal and fiscal rules
The creation of the Prosecution cadre will increase the synergy between prosecution and investigation teams, ensuring the success of the criminal justice system.
24-MW Karbi Langpi Middle-II Hydro Power Project will be implemented at a revised project cost of Rs 417.32 cr.
“This will help reduce power shortage and bridge the gap between demand and supply in the state to a certain extent through renewable power. It will also generate employment opportunities for 150 people during the construction phase and 44 people during the operation phase,” Baruah said.
“Further, the project falls under the small hydro category (below 25 MW) and, being a run-of-the-river type, it shall significantly reduce environmental impact and cause less damage to the ecology,” he further said.
The cabinet also gave its nod for laying the foundation for the construction of 400 new school buildings across the state.
“Foundation stones will be laid for 400 new buildings of high and higher secondary schools. Of these, 100 will be completely new schools in tea garden areas,” Baruah said.
“Under this programme, Rs 7 cr will be allocated to each school for renovation of buildings of old schools. Foundation stones will be laid from December 25 to January 10. We will launch this programme with the celebration of Good Governance Day (the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee) on December 25,” Baruah also said.
“During this period, all cabinet ministers will stay for five days and five nights at a particular village to assess practical implementation of welfare schemes and programmes,” the Minister said.
“The five villages will be chosen from five different zones. During their stay, the Ministers will assess practical implementation of various government schemes, including the level of saturation achieved in such schemes,” the Minister also said.
The cabinet approved the proposal for the settlement of land in favour of 123 indigenous, landless families in urban areas under Mission Basundhara 2.0.
“Of them, 105 families are from Charaideo and 18 are from Darrang district. They will be provided land for homestead purposes in urban areas,” Baruaah said.
“The offer of settlements has already been issued to more than 55,000 landless families after approval from respective district SDLACS and oversight by guardian ministers,” he said.
The cabinet also approved the holiday list of 2024 for state government employees. According to the list, there will be 36 gazetted holidays,
30 restricted holidays and two half holidays.
IN addition to this, the district commissioners are allowed to declare any 1 day which may be of local significance as a local holiday, except in Kamrup (Metro) district.
The General Administration Department (GAD) will declare two days as local holidays in Kamrup (Metro) district.
To strengthen its financial health, the outstanding loan amount of Rs 54 crore and outstanding interest of Rs 10.92 crore as of March 31 of Assam Financial Corporation (AFC) will be converted towards the equity capital of the Corporation.
“This will help reduce the gap in the equity capital base of the Corporation and enable it to continue its lending operations in various sectors like MSME, microfinance, tourism, healthcare, manufacturing, etc, and attain self-sustainability in due course,” the minister said.
The cabinet approved Opt-In and Opt-Out options for Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) to doctors under the health department once every five years of service length from January 1, 2024.
NPA will be rolled out to all doctors working under the health department from the rank of M&HO-I to the rank of DHS.
“This will ensure that doctors are incentivised to provide high-quality care to patients without worrying about the financial implications of not being able to practise privately,” he said.
The administrative units (circles, divisions and sub-divisions) of the irrigation department (excluding Sixth Schedule areas) have been reorganised in line with the delimitation of Legislative Assembly Constituencies by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The cabinet further approved a uniform retirement date for Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers in mini Anganwadi Centres (AWCs).
The date of relinquishment of services for all Anganwadi Workers and Helpers in mini AWCs will be April 30 of the year on or just after completion of 60 years of age, and their services shall be discontinued accordingly.
For instance, Anganwadi Workers with dates of birth between May 2 1964 and May 1 1965 (both dates inclusive) will relinquish their services on April 30 2025.
