Guwahati-Silchar emergency flight service for 10 days

CABINET DECISIONS

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Cabinet took some decisions on flood relief and rescue operations, putting in place a strategy to ensure a regular supply of food and fuels, especially in Dima Hasao and the Barak Valley.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "IAF will drop 12 MT foods at Haflong tomorrow. If the Barak Valley has a shortage of fuels, we have 4,000 litres of fuel ready for the IAF to drop in the Valley. Of course, Barak Valley has adequate food stock for the next seven days."

He said, "The Cabinet signed an MoU with private airline company FlyBig. FlyBig will fly from Guwahati to Silchar and back to carry people stranded in the Barak Valley for the next ten days. The Cabinet fixed a subsidized fare of Rs 3,000 per head. If the cost of the airfare exceeds this amount, the Government will bear it. The tickets will be available at the special counter at Cachar DC office and ATDC head office at Paltan Bazar in Guwahati."

The Chief Minister said, "If the weather permits, we can clear the national highway to the Barak Valley within two or three days. However, NF Railway will take at least 45 days to restore train services to the Valley."

On other decisions, the Chief Minister said, "To meet our power demand, the Cabinet approved a deal with Uttar Pradesh Bujuli Nigam to buy up to 495 MW power per day.

"The Cabinet approved the setting up of a joint venture company with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to produce ten lakh litres of milk per day.

"The Cabinet also decided to solve the problem of enrolling online registration in employment exchanges due to non-issuance of Aadhaar cards. For those applying for Grade III and IV posts, the manual registration in employment exchanges will remain open.

"Now on, government employees will get medical reimbursement even if they take treatment in any registered hospitals other than the empanelled ones. The existing rules give medical reimbursement only if an employee takes treatment in an empanelled hospital."

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