Low-end domestic power consumers to get subsidy of max 120 units a month: Assam Cabinet

April 20: In the weekly Assam Cabinet on 20 April, several key decisions regarding pertaining to subsidy for power consumers, filing of affidavit in SC to help NRC applicants avail Aadhaar, release of AMFIRS funds, land reforms, the new CM Scheme for Public Emergency & Assam State Bridge Infrastructure Project etc., among others were taken. The Cabinet Meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

KEY DECISIONS:

► Speeding up aid disbursal: Approval to Chief Minister’s Scheme for Public Emergency

Provisions:

• Monetary assistance to individuals/ organisations where budget is not adequate/ available
• Compensation to victims of conflict/ flood/ fire, monetary award to public servants for exceptional service to society, financial support to sports/ cultural/ academic icons, etc, infrastructural support to socio-cultural and academic institutions, etc., in case regular budget is not adequate/ available

► Building bridges:

• Approval to proposed Assam State Bridge Infrastructure Project (ASBIP) at an estimated cost of Rs 4,360 cr
• ASBIP will encompass 1,085 minor & major maintenance of bridges, capacity expansion of bridges, conversion of timber bridges to RCC bridges, etc.

► Respite for power consumers:

• Approved targeted subsidy for power consumers from 10th May, 2022 to provide respite to low-end domestic consumers from hike in retail tariff. This will benefit around 60 lakh households across Assam

• Jeevan Dhara: Rs 1 per unit for consumption of maximum 45 units a month
• LT Domestic-A: Rs. 0.75 per unit for consumption of maximum 120 units a month.

► Move to avail Aadhaar:

• Approval to filing of an IA (Interlocutory Application) in the Supreme Court for relaxation of Para 9 of the SOP and for providing Aadhaar cards to NRC applicants whose Aadhaar cards are kept on hold because of the existing SOP
• Will benefit a large section of people below the poverty line, students, pensioners, job seekers, etc., who don’t have Aadhaar

► Land reforms & allotment:

• Deputy Commissioners authorised to allot/transfer Govt land in rural areas to State & Central Govt undertakings/statutory bodies/parastatals, etc., without prior Govt approval
• 77 bigha land to Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for establishment of battalion camp at Chhaygaon Pantan under Chhaygaon Revenue Circle
• 5 bigha land for the Royal Bhutanese Consulate General Office at Dimoria under Sonapur Revenue Circle

► Extending Microfinance scheme benefits:

• Approved sanction of Rs.108 cr for Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) 2021.
• With this, a total disbursement of around Rs1,600 cr will be completed for about 9 lakh beneficiaries under Category-1 of the scheme

Ceremonial distribution of benefits in remaining three districts -Kamrup, Kamrup (M) & Dhubri – will be held from 29th April 2022 onwards.