Assam: Government to set up 50 mw solar power unit on evicted land in Sonitpur; Other Key Cabinet Decisions

The Assam government on December 12 decided to set up a 50 mw solar power plant in Sonitpur district's Borsola, where an eviction drive cleared 1,000 bigha of land last year. 

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

 "We will make a 50 mw solar park at Borsola, where an eviction drive took place last year. This will further protect the area from any possibility of future encroachment," Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah told reporters.

On September 3, the Assam government carried out a major eviction drive in 1,000 bigha of land, where 299 families were living. The affected families, most of whom were Bengalis, were living there for years. The cabinet also approved a closed river circuit, which will connect five pilgrimage sites -- Kamakhya, Doul Gobinda, Ashwaklanta, Umananda and Pandu Nath -- under the Sagarmala project, the minister said.

 "A ferry will connect these areas through a hop-on hop-off service. It will be a joint venture between the state government and the Centre. The state will have 45 per cent share, and 55 per cent will be held by the Centre," he added.

The cabinet also decided to install smart electricity meters in 44 lakh households at an expenditure of Rs 4,362 crore, Baruah said addressing a press conference after the meeting. "We believe that this will generate employment opportunities for 5,000 technicians and 2,000 research agents," he said. Besides, the cabinet also decided that Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) certificates will be equivalent to High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and Higher Secondary from now on. "The board will also be empowered for this. This is a big decision on technical education in Assam," Baruah said.

He further said that the cabinet decided to allot 227 bigha of land for setting up a battalion of the NDRF in Hajo of Kamrup district. "The transfer of inspectors in a district can be done by the district SPs instead of police headquarters in Guwahati under the present system," Baruah said. 

 

Some of the other key decisions taken during the cabinet meeting are as follows:- 

 

Boost to Administrative Efficiency

• Merger of the Office of Controller of Legal Metrology with Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, under a common Commissionerate under the Dept of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs for administrative efficiency.

Relief to Pensioners

• Approval to amendment of Rule 13, 15 and Form B Part II of Assam Services (Commutation of Pension) Rules, 1965 for altering the process for sanction of Commutation of Pension

• It aims to set time limit for disposal of commutation of pension cases at every level by delegating the power of referring the pensioners to Medical Boards for medical examination to Head of Offices/Head of Depts

 

Amendment to Forest Service Rules

• Amendment to 'The Assam Junior Forest Service Rules, 2005' regarding syllabus for written test for direct recruitment into Forester Grade-1 and Forest Guard

• This will include Physical Standard Test and Physical Efficiency Test on a par with Assam Police

 

Reviewing Reservation in Promotion

• Approval to Draft Office Memorandum (OM) on "Review of Government Policy of Reservation in Promotion with reference to the Hon'ble Gauhati High Court Judgments"

In respect to above, previous Cabinet meeting took following decisions:
• Promotion with consequential seniority to remain applicable for Group B, C and D services, in line with the policy of Govt of India

• Reservation in promotion will remain in force for Group A services, as per OM of 2016. However, there will not be any consequential benefit of reservation in case of Group A posts.

Potable Water in South West Guwahati
• Administrative Approval for construction and commissioning of balance works of 107 MLD Capacity South Guwahati West Water Supply project under GMDA, to ensure supply of potable drinking water to residents of South West Guwahati

 

Mission Basundhara 2.0 timelines extended

• To enable all eligible people to avail the services, timeline of Mission. Basundhara 2.0 extended

• Decision taken in view of a large number of applicants who were unable to avail benefits

 

Revised Schedule

- Last date for application receipt: March 31, 2023

- Disposal of applications by: November 14, 2023

• Extension of last dates will enable field level revenue machinery to examine the applications qualitatively, conduct field visits, conduct SDLAC, seek Govt approval wherever required, realise premium and grant settlement/confer ownership rights to tenants.

 

Streamlining Transfer/Posting

• Amendment to relevant portions of Rules 73 and 75 of Assam Police Manual Part-Ill to empower Commissioner of Police, Guwahati/SSPs/ SPS to handle transfer/posting of Police Officers in the rank of Inspectors of Police within the districts.