GUWAHATI: Today, June 10 marks the completion of one month in the office of Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam Government. CM Sarma's first 30 days in office was marked by many interesting and significant events starting from a grenade blast killing 2, to the death of 18 elephants due to lightning to banned militant outfit ULFA-I releasing kidnapped ONGC employee Ritul Saikia within hours of the CM making a fervent request to the outfit's commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah through a press conference after keeping him in captivity for 31 days.
We take a look at some of the important decisions taken by the 52 years old CM of Assam along with his newly elected cabinet- Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Parimal Suklabaidya, Ronoj Pegu, Sanjay Kishan, Jogen Mohan, Ajanta Neog, Ashok Singhal, Pijush Hazarika, Bimal Bora (all from BJP) Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta (from AGP) and Urkhao Gwra Brahma (from UPPL) that might have a long-term impact on the growth and development of the state and some significant things that happened in the first 30 days.
On May 11, the 1st cabinet meeting witnessed a few key decisions and among which:
1) Committee set up to give jobs to 1 lakh educated unemployed youths of the state
2) Committee set up to look into microfinance loans of women
3) Assam Govt to raise stake in NRL to 26%
On the other hand, the Finance Department led by veteran leader Ajanta Neog was asked to release funds for welfare schemes expeditiously.
However, in the process of marching ahead, a natural calamity that claimed the lives of 18 elephants in Nagaon due to lightning shocked the entire state. Notably, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed concern over the incident and asked Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya to visit the spot to inquire into the matter.
Further, tackling misogyny of act of violence, the grenade blast in the Tingrai market of Digboi, Tinsukia which again claimed two lives was one of the first major concerns of the newly elected chief minister.
The incident came three days after a 12-year-old boy was killed when a grenade, which he found lying on the roadside, went off in Kotha Adarsha Gaon in the Tinsukia district.
Acting on this, Chief Minister Himata Biswa Sarma instructed the deputy inspector general (DIG) of police of the range to conduct an investigation and bring those responsible for this incident to book, and within a couple of days, the accused were apprehended.
Meanwhile, the CM also visits the grenade blast site at Tingrai market, Digboi in Tinsukia district, and met the family of deceased Surajit Talukdar.
On the health and welfare side, the minister reviewed the progress of a 300 bedded cancer hospital at AMCH, Dibrugarh being built in association with Tata Trust for cancer care.
The minister out of the busy schedule also asked the PWD to complete the construction of flyovers across Guwahati by September 2021.
It is to be mentioned here that Assam Chief Minister is extending his arms at length in all dimensions of the states, as he visits abducted ONGC employee Ritul Saikia's house at Titabar, Jorhat, and expressed his support and assured to bring him back safe and sound.
Further, the CM also requested ULFA-I Commander-in-Chief Paresh Baruah to release abducted ONGC employee Ritul Saikia to which the Baruah responded and was later released after 31 days in captivity.
On the education front, the Chief Minister announced to create independent recruitment agency Assam Engineering Service Recruitment Board for polytechnic and engineering institutions.
Other key decisions taken were:
> Expeditious filling of teachers' posts in government schools
> Opening new model schools and formulation of the teacher retention policy.
> Creation of posts for tea garden schools.
> Conducting regular recruitment of college teachers.
> Speeding up Gunotsav related civil construction works.
> Creation of administrative posts for newly created districts and sub-divisions.
> Salary of provincialized teachers & tutors of all levels of schools by June 1, 2021.
> To complete pending scooty distribution by 15th June 2021.
Meanwhile, in the second cabinet meeting, the Key Cabinet Decisions were:
> Reviving closed Oxygen plants
> Expanding existing plant
> All existing Oxygen plants to get 20% free power
> Cabinet Status to CEMs of BTR, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council & Dima Hasao Autonomous Council
> Nomenclature of I/C minister changed to Guardian Minister
> Each Guardian Minister to be responsible for respective districts.
> Debojit Saikia appointed as Advocate General of Assam.
> More power to DCs for flood relief work
In this series of events, came the first session of the 3-day 15th Assam Legislative Assembly wherein 126 MLAs sworn in along with the chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Key decisions are taken in the 3rd Cabinet meet:
> Fund disbursement process of Kushal Konwar Briddha Pension Scheme & Indira Miri Widow Pension Scheme to be simplified.
> Bodoland Welfare Department and Bodoland Administrative Staff College to be created.
> Guardian Ministers to be allotted districts for their all-around development.
What could be termed as the major boost to the economy to the state was the state government raising its stake in Numaligarh Refinery Limite (NRL) to 26%.
The Cabinet approved increasing the stake of the Government of Assam in Numaligarh Refinery Limited from the present 12.35% to 26%, involving a sum of Rs 2187 crore. This is the biggest single investment in the industrial sector ever by the State Government.
Followed by being the second state in India with the highest number of National Parks with the declaration of Raimona Sanctuary in Kokrajhar as NP.
Last but not least from the Chief Minister's handle which confirmed that before completing a month in his office, the minister visited Gorukhuti in Sipajhar, Darrang in a country boat to take stock of encroachments and reclaimed the land rights to the famous Dhalpur Shiva temple.
Further, in the fourth round of the cabinet meeting held on June 8, the key decisions were:
- Asom Ratna every year for significant contribution to society
- Asom Bibhushan to be given to 3 people
- Asom Bhushan to 5 people
- Asom Shree to 10 people
- Literary pension to be named after literateur late Homen Borgohain, conferred on Dec 7, his birth anniversary
- Sports Pension to be conferred in the name of Arjun Bhogeswar Barua on his Jayanti (September 3).
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