Assam cabinet gives nod to bill against healing via quacks

In a major decision, the Assam cabinet today give its nod to a Bill that aims to criminalise healing of people through quacks or magical healing. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting that was chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Later addressing the media, cabinet minister Jayanta Mallabarua said that the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill 2024 has been given the nod. Through this bill, any person found guilty of committing the illegal act in the name of treatment/magic healing shall be punished with imprisonment and a fine. 

The proposed Bill also seeks to prohibit and eliminate practices of magical healing in the name of treatment of some congenital diseases like deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformities, autism, etc. It will prohibit such healing sessions completely and provide strong punitive action against 'healers' extorting the poor and downtrodden people in the name of treatment.

The cabinet today also gave its nod to the Assam Village Defence Organisation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 for improving the Village Defence Organisation. The Bill seeks to amend the Assam Village Defence Organisation Act, 1966 pertaining to certain definitions, duties, power and functions of the different stakeholders of the Assam Village Defence Organisation. 

Meanwhile, the cabinet also gave its nod to the Bill for amendment of the Assam Municipal Act 1956 for efficient urban administration. The proposed Bill seeks to define roles and responsibilities of three State Municipal Cadres - Assam Urban Administrative Service, Assam Urban Engineering Service and Assam Urban Financial Service addressing the following issues by modalities for appointment of staff in the municipalities through approved staffing pattern of urban local bodies (ULBs), rules to be framed for appointment and conditions of service of such municipal officers, Powers and functions of Executive Officer (Urban Administrative Service), and roles and responsibilities of Urban Engineering Service and Urban Financial Service.

The cabinet has also given its ascent for Ten Cities Development Concept (Doh Shaher Ek Rupayan) which is to be introduced for ensuring sustainable urban development. The Ten cities Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon, Tezpur, North-Lakhimpur, Bongaigaon, Silchar, Karimganj, Dhubri and Haflong/Diphu will be the 'Lighthouse' for other urban local bodies (ULBs) of the State. 

The implementation of the concept will be monitored and reviewed by State-level Steering Committee chaired by Hon'ble Minister, Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, and a City-level Steering Committee chaired by District Commissioner of the respective district. 

Mallabarua also announced that for administrative efficiency, additional posts to be created in the Assam Secretariat Service and Assam Secretariat Subordinate Service, and cadres of Computer Operators (COs) and Senior Grade Computer Operators (Sr Gr COs) in Assam Secretariat to be abolished. Altogether a total of 352 posts will be created.