Assam cabinet introduces first 'Green Budget', all you need to know

Assam finance minister Ajanta Neog on March 16 presented the state's first-ever 'Green Budget' at the Assam Legislative Assembly during the ongoing budget session.

This green budget includes- Three-year master plan for Greening Greater Guwahati along with 6 crore seedlings across the state to be raised and carry plantation in 10,000 hectares in this financial year.

Further, Wildlife depredation cases have been declared as cases of natural disaster for providing expeditious relief to the families of victims.

Also Read: Assam College Services Recruitment Board to be constituted for selection of faculty members, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

An ex-gratia and compensation amounting to Rs 20.62 crore to Rs 9459 crore for victims of the man-animal conflict have been disbursed. 

300 bighas were allocated for the establishment of the Assam Forest Protection Force at Lakhimpur.

On the otherhand, to showcase the rich biodiversity of Assam and Kaziranga in particular for research and public outreach, a state-of-the-art Natural History Museum will be established at Panbari, Golaghat district. 

To ramp up the anti-poaching initiatives, all frontline staff posted in wildlife areas will be equipped with modern assault rifles.

Establishing the Assam Forest Development Corporation Ltd has been planned in this financial year for optimal utilisation of forest resources.

Satellite imagery and drone photography will be used to monitor encroachment activities. 

A modern zoological rescue and rehabilitation facility will be set up in Kaziranga National Park.

Last but not the least, Rs 1056.70 crore was allocated to the Environment and Forest Department.

In several decisions taken during the cabinet meeting, the state government decided to amend Assam's Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Rules, 2015 for rationalisation of Multiplication Factors and review of the definition of ‘urban area’.

Working for the overall development of safai karamcharis, the government has decided to constitute the Assam State Commission for Safai Karamcharis to monitor the implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

In decisions pertaining to the development of green power projects, the state government of Assam decided to implement 7 green power projects in different districts which include 70-MW Sonbeel Floating Solar Power Project, 100-MW Tezpur Agrivoltaic Project, 40-MW Golaghat Floating Solar Power Project, 200-MW Margherita Solar Power Project, 50-MW Lower Kopili Agrivoltaic Project, 60-MW Chandrapur PSP with Solar Power Project and 100-MW Batadrava Agrivoltaic Project.