CM Himanta Biswa Sarma chairs first meeting of Assam Cabinet, takes a slew of measures

Panels formed for jobs, loan waiver

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government is going to publish a new COVID-19 SOP (Standard Operational Procedure) on Wednesday with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma taking a slew of measures to check the pandemic in his first Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Talking to the media after the Cabinet meeting, the government's new spokespersons Keshab Mahanta and Pijush Hazarika said that the Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister discussed issues like harsh measures to check the spread of COVID-19 and economic package that should follow when such measures would be taken. They said that the Chief Minister entrusted each of the ministers to take the charge of two or three districts to contain COVID-19. The ministers would have to discuss anti-COVID measures with deputy commissioners and top district health officials, and submit their reports to Health Minister Keshab Mahanta within three days.

The duo further said that the Government has started taking some pragmatic measures to fulfil two of the major commitments made to the people of the State in the run-up to the Assembly election – providing jobs to one lakh jobless youths and the waiver of microfinance loans.

A committee led by Finance Minister Ajanta Neog has been constituted to study how the jobs are to be created in the State, they said. They further said that another committee led by UDD (Urban Development Department) Minister Ashok Singhal has been created to study all pros and cons on the waiver of microfinance loans as to who should get the benefit, which way is to be taken for the move, etc.

During the meeting, Industries Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary spelt out how the Government prevented the privatization of NRL by raising its stake up to 26 per cent from 12 per cent earlier.

The Cabinet made it a point that it would meet every Wednesday, barring holidays.

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