Assam Cabinet decisions on key issues

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Cabinet took a slew of decisions on Friday, including Cabinet meetings in district headquarters, carbon emission-free fleets of ASTC buses, the merger of SEBA and AHSEC etc.

These decisions are in sync with the completion of 100 days by the State Government.

The Cabinet decisions, as spelt out by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, are –

 The Cabinet will hold a meeting in a district headquarters every month. The ministers will review two districts while going to the Cabinet meeting, and review two other districts on their way back. The first such meeting will be in the Dhemaji district in September.

 The Cabinet decided to hike the amount under the Arunodoi Scheme to Rs 1,000 from the existing Rs 830 per month.

 The Cabinet decided that ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) will buy a fleet of 200 electronic buses and 100 CNG buses for Guwahati to make the metropolitan city free from carbon emissions. ASTC will stop running petrol-diesel buses in Guwahati. The Chief Minister made it clear that the government would adopt this in private vehicles, albeit in phases.

 In a significant step on the education front, the Chief Minister said that the government would reintroduce history and geography as compulsory subjects up to Class X.

 Sarma said that the government would extend one-time assistance of Rs 10,000 each to the handymen and drivers of inter-district buses who had to suffer a loss during the lockdown. It will benefit around Rs 60,000 bus crew members.

 The government will also extend Rs 15,000 as one-time assistance to each priest who had to suffer a loss due to the closure of mandirs and namghars during the lockdown, he said.

 The Chief Minister also said that the government would announce a package shortly for street vendors, tent houses etc., who suffered during the corona-induced lockdown.

 In a significant move on the education front, the Chief Minister said that the government would upgrade all high schools to senior secondary schools from the 2022 academic session in phases. All junior colleges will have classes IX and X with them. The Chief Minister said this step is in sync with the National Education Policy, 2020 under which the government will merge the SEBA (Board of Secondary Education, Assam) and the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).

Also Read: Akhil Gogoi Announces Protest Against Assam's new Cattle Preservation Act

Also Watch: