Guwahati: In a significant move to address public accountability and agrarian welfare, the Assam Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the devastating July floods in Upper Assam and announced an enhanced financial package for paddy farmers.
The Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, resolved to officially request the Centre within 10 days to initiate the CBI inquiry. The probe will investigate the root causes of the unprecedented deluge that ravaged the Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, amid growing allegations of computational errors and structural lapses in water management.
"The scale of destruction in Sivasagar and Charaideo requires a thorough, independent investigation. The CBI will look into the technical and systemic vulnerabilities that led to this man-made crisis so we can prevent such catastrophes in the future," Chief Minister Sarma stated during the briefing.
In a major boost to the state’s agricultural sector, the Cabinet approved an additional state incentive of ₹200 per quintal for paddy procurement. This bonus raises the effective Minimum Support Price (MSP) to ₹2,640 per quintal for the upcoming harvesting season, aimed at mitigating the crop losses suffered by farmers during the monsoon.
Furthermore, aligning with the state's newly enforced Uniform Civil Code (UCC) framework, the Cabinet amended the Assam Services Rules. Under the strict new provision, any state government employee found practicing polygamy will face immediate dismissal from service, which will double as a permanent disqualification from future government employment.
The high-level meeting also cleared crucial infrastructure projects, including the allocation of land for a massive 6,000-bigha Defence Park near Nellie in Nagaon district and the approval of five new tourism-boosting ropeway projects under the central Parvatmala scheme.