Several key decisions taken in Assam Cabinet meeting held on Monday

Aug. 8: In the weekly Assam Cabinet on August 8, several key decisions related widening scope of Master Plans, framing a logistics policy, auction of seized vehicles, relaxing promotion norms to fill up posts of BDO, easing GIS payment norms, etc., among others were taken. The Cabinet Meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

KEY DECISIONS: 

Auctioning Seized Vehicles: 

Amendment of Assam Motor Vehicle Rules, 2003 to empower designated officers to auction off vehicles seized, impounded & detained under various motor vehicle offences

Easing Promotion Criterion: 

• One-time relaxation of qualifying service period from 15 to 13 years for promotion to the post of Block Development Officer from feeder cadres of Assistant BDO (Panchayat) and Assistant BDO (Women & Children)
• This will ensure filling up of 34 vacant posts of BDO from promotional quota

Family Pension for Unmarried Daughter: 

• Assam (Services) Pension Rules, 1969 to be amended to ease the hardship faced by unmarried dependent daughter of pensioner in availing family pension and to ensure apportionment by the unmarried daughter to all other eligible siblings like minor son, disabled child, another unmarried dependent child
• Approved an exhaustive checklist for application for the pension
• Added a provision that in case of complaint about the unmarried daughter not apportioning the pension to all the eligible beneficiaries, the Govt can apportion it equally among the eligible persons

Turning Assam into a Logistics Hub: Approval to Assam Logistics Policy, 2022:

Features:

• Dedicated Logistics Division headed by Secretary-rank officer
• Proposal evaluation and incentive disbursement through EoDB (Ease of Doing Business) portal
• Industrial Park developed by AIIDC & AIDC shall earmark 15% of its land for development of Logistics Infrastructure including Logistics Park, Truck Terminal, Cold Storage, Warehouses, Primary Processing Centres, etc.
• Dept of Revenue and Disaster Management shall prioritise conversion of land wherever required for setting-up of logistics facility

Swift e-File Disposal:

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for e-Files disposal in CMO as Janata Bhawan is shifting to paperless administration from 2nd October 2022

Simplification of GIS Payment:

• Allowed deduction of shortfall and grant Group Insurance Scheme (GIS) in case the pensioner or the legal heir agrees to deduction with interest of the shortfall through a written undertaking
• A new clause to be added in GIS to simplify and avoid delay in payment of GIS amount to beneficiaries

Effective Implementation of Guwahati Master Plan: Approval to amendment to Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority Act, 1985

• Widening the scope and content of the Master Plan for Guwahati Metropolitan Area, introduce new land use zones and meet reform agendas like Transfer of Development Rights, Transit Oriented Development, implementation of Local Area Plan and Town Planning Scheme
• Implementation of Local Area Plan will ensure redevelopment of an existing area by enhancing the quality of development through reorganisation of public spaces, open spaces, formulation of a form-based building code, etc.

Streamlining Urban Transport and Traffic System:

• A statutory body Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) to be formed for preparing a comprehensive mobility plan of the city, organising investments in urban transport infrastructure, establishing effective coordination among various transport agencies, etc.
• This will enable the State Govt. to avail Central assistance for Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS)/Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) and other transport projects

Implementation of Master Plans: Approval to amendment of Assam Town and Country Planning Act, 1959

Features:

• Declaration of Planning Areas for the purpose of Master Plan, Town Planning scheme, Local Area plan, etc.
• Strengthening implementation mechanism of the Master Plan
• Micro-level planning techniques such as Town Planning Scheme and Local Area Plan and land assembling techniques such as Land Pooling Scheme have been elaborated
• Provisions included for Transit Oriented Development, Transferable Development Rights, Land Pooling System, etc.
• Revision of penalty and decriminalisation of penal action

Pay Boost to Mandals & Amins:

Additional 3% increment to cadres of Vandal’ and ‘Amin’ to ensure parity with `Patowari’, which was granted the increment earlier