Cabinet approves reconstitution of Thana-level Nagrik Committees to facilitate citizen-centric services of Police Dept

way2barak, Nov.16: In the weekly Assam Cabinet on November 16, several key decisions related to formation of Nagrik committees for police-public coordination, Senior Grade-I for ACS officers, revised pay of Judicial Officers, remuneration for PRI members, civic body election rules, etc., among others were taken. The Cabinet Meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma.

 KEY DECISIONS: 

❖ Reconstitution of Thana-level Nagrik Committees:

Approval to reconstitution of Thana-level Nagrik Committees to provide a platform for coordination between the police and public To be constituted under Section 11 sub-clause 5 of Assam Police Act, Nagrik or citizen committees to essentially function as community liaison groups for respective police stations

A committee to comprise:

• Chairman: To be appointed by the Govt
• Member Secretary: Officer-in-Charge of Police Station
• Ex- officio members: a) Circle Officer, b) Block Development Officer, C) Senior-most officers of Health, Excise, Social Welfare, PWD, etc.
• Members: a) Chairman of Municipal Corporation/ Board (outside Guwahati) or Ward Commissioners (in Guwahati), b) Senior-most public representative of Development Authority
• Nominated – Selection in consultation with Guardian Ministers (Rs.250 per sitting): a) 3 members nominated by DC, b) 3 members nominated by SP

Functions & responsibilities:

• Facilitate timely delivery of citizen-centric services of Police Department
• Ensure responsiveness of Police against grievances registered in Police Stations
• Look into incidents of alleged misbehaviour
• Provide information and community feedback for improving policing
• Use various public forums for pushing forward the concerns for Police actions in matters of national security and public good
• Create public awareness on important social issues like drug abuse, human trafficking, witch hunting, domestic violence, etc

❖ Senior Grade-I for ACS Officers:

• Approval to creation of 72 temporary posts at Senior Grade-I (SG-I) of Assam Civil Services to accommodate 72 ACS officers to strengthen organisational structure of various departments and increase administrative efficiency
• There will be 250 SG-I ACS officers (current strength 178) and the shortfall will be made up by promoting 72 eligible SG-II officers belonging to 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2004 batches
• Proposed 72 temporary posts will be personal to promoted officers. Once an officer is adjusted against regular vacancies in SG-I level or an officer is promoted to Selection Grade, the temporary SG-I post personal to the officer concerned shall be reverted to SG-II

❖Land for community kitchen etc:

Land measuring 11 Bigha -1 Katha – 11 Lessa at Modopi Cha Bagicha under Garaimari Mouza of Chariduar Revenue Circle in favour of Hare Krishna Movement, Guwahati for setting up a centralised community kitchen, school for underprivileged children, cultural complex, etc.

❖Revised Pay of Judicial Officers: 

Approval to revised pay structure of Judicial Officers of Subordinate Judiciary in line with Second National Judicial Pay Commission’s (SNJPC) recommendation

❖Remuneration to elected PRI members: 

• Remuneration to elected members of State’s Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) out of Devolution Grant of Sixth Assam State Finance Commission for smooth functioning of PRIs
• Remuneration to be paid to bank accounts of PRI members every month with effect from April 2022 onwards

❖Enhancing urban governance: To enhance urban governance in Assam approval to:

• The Municipal Corporations (Assam) Conduct of Business Rules, 2022
• The Assam Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 2022