Several key decisions taken in Assam Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday

way2barak, Dec.7: In the weekly Assam Cabinet on December 7, several key decisions related to providing financial benefit to pregnant women, monitoring drug prices, protecting Safai Karmacharis’ rights, filling up vacancies in Forest Dept, renaming of Police Academy after Lachit Barphukan, etc., among others were taken. The Cabinet Meeting held at Gandhi Mandap, Guwahati was chaired by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. In a unique way, instead of sitting on chairs, the cabinet ministers and the Chief Ministers sat on the floor during this cabinet meeting. 

KEY DECISIONS: 

❖Financial relief for pregnant women:

• Approval to cash benefit of Rs.700 through DBT to pregnant women to cover transportation cost from public health facilities to home under Janani Sishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) after getting discharged from hospital
• Targeted beneficiaries to include all pregnant women who avail institutional delivery at public health facilities
• In addition to benefits under Janani Suraksha Yojana, beneficiaries to receive Rs.2,100 (for rural areas) and Rs.1,700 (for urban areas) at the time of leaving the hospital as additional financial relief

❖ 40 lakh new beneficiaries under NFSA: 

• Inclusion of 40,00,000 new beneficiaries to existing database of National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries
• Approval to issuing ration cards to the new eligible beneficiaries
• This will ensure proper nutritional benefits to families deprived of such facilities

❖ Fund for BTC area development:

Release of SOPD-G fund (normal work) of T361.42 cr as 1st instalment for financial year 2022-23 for all-round development of BTC areas

Held #AssamCabinet at the historic Gandhi Mandap, Guwahati for the first time.

As the site is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, holding the meet there provided us with the necessary motivation to carry out our constitutional obligations. pic.twitter.com/XX4E1Yhxe1

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 7, 2022

❖ Protecting Safai Karmacharis’ rights: 

Approval to draft Bill for creation of State Commission for Safai Karmacharis to ensure protection of Karmacharis’ right and prevent employment of manual scavengers

Roles:

• Monitor implementation of Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers & their Rehabilitation Act, 2013
• Ensure generation of employment, beginning with 3 posts (2 nos. of Junior Assistants and 1 no. of Grade IV employee)

❖ Support to kin of Police martyrs:

• Approval to appointment to Grade III/IV posts to eligible and qualified next of kin of Assam Police martyrs to provide them financial stability
• Approval to constitution of Screening Committee to evaluate eligible NoK and the procedure prescribed for finalising the appointment of such recommended candidates

❖ Filling up vacancies in Forest Dept:

As a step towards providing 1 lakh Govt jobs to youth of Assam, approval to recruitment against 1,667 vacant posts by State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB) in Environment & Forest Dept

Breakdown of vacancies:

• Forest Guard: 1,226 • Forester Grade-I: 264 • Assam Forests Protection Constables (Commando): 279 • Driver:142 • Cook: 13

❖ New Forest Protection Force Battalion:

• Approval to raising of 3rd Assam Forests Protection Force Battalion under Assam Forests Protection Force Act, 1986 in a bid to protect forests and fauna
• 1,115 posts to be created with HQs in Lakhimpur District to protect forests in border areas and recruitment through SLPRB

❖ Police Academy to be renamed: 

As a mark of respect to legendary Ahom General Lachit Barphukan, Police Academy in Dergaon to be renamed as Lachit Barphukan Police Academy.

❖ No Optional Subject in CCE (Mains):

Removal of Optional Subjects from Combined Competitive (Mains) Examination to be conducted by Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) to do away with discrepancies in difficulty level of question papers of different Optional Subjects

Benefits:

• Will help in achieving uniformity in the standards of evaluation of descriptive answer scripts in CCE (Mains) and ensure equitable treatment of all candidates
• Will ensure that candidates are tested on a level playing field during evaluation of answer scripts

❖ Reservation for Ex-servicemen:

• Draft of Assam Ex-servicemen (Reservation of Posts in Grade-I and Grade-II in State Services) Rules, 2022 approved in line with reservation in appointments given to ex-servicemen in Grade III and Grade IV posts
• 2% of seats will be reserved for ex-servicemen in Grade-I and Grade-II posts
• It will extend the benefit of reservation in appointment to ex-servicemen in Grade-I and Grade-II posts.

❖ Boost to renewable energy:

Development of a 250 MW Solar Power Plant with Battery Energy Storage System through Joint Venture between Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) and ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd with equity participation in the ratio of 51:49

❖ Respite for Jeevan Dhara & Domestic-A consumers:

Targeted subsidy of Rs.285 cr to APDCL for giving respite to Jeevan Dhara and Domestic-A consumers

Subsidy package:

• Subsidy for consumers under Jeevan Dhara category on energy charge for consuming 1.5 KWh/day i.e. 45 units in a month at TV unit
• Subsidy for consumers under Domestic-A category on energy charge for consumption up to 120 units in a month at Rs.0.75/unit

❖ Developing Thanas under MOITRI:

Approval to construction & development of 162 Thanas in different districts under MOITRI Scheme with a budget of Rs.523.69 cr as part of Govt’s efforts to upgrade and modernise the Police