- NET Web Desk
The Assam Cabinet has approved the release of Rs 308.75 Crores, as part of Rs 700 Crores relief package to employees of Nagaon Paper Mill & Cachar Paper Mill of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited. This will provide further support to the employees of paper mills and is in line with the commitment of state government.
This decision has been undertaken during a weekly state cabinet meeting held today; under the chairmanship of state Chief Minister – Himanta Biswa Sarma. As per the meeting, the Assam Government has approved the ‘Assam Bridge Project-II’, under which 4-lane extradosed PSC bridge connecting Palasbari & Sualkuchi will be constructed. The approximate cost for the project measuring 4.08 kms is Rs 3,197 Crores.
According to an official bulletin, this bridge will shorten distance between LGBI Airport and lower Assam districts by 25 kms; thereby ensuring seamless connectivity to Sualkuchi & Amingaon from the airport.
Meanwhile, the State Subsidy for houses being constructed under PMAY HFA (Urban) has been enhanced from Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000, in respect of all incomplete houses, which will assist beneficiaries in meeting any additional expenditure.
An amount of Rs 30,000 has been approved for early completion of houses under Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC) component of PMAY HFA (Urban) as 3rd instalment to those beneficiaries who have reached root level, which will help complete thousands of incomplete houses.
This is expected to benefit 1,16,380 beneficiaries with additional spending of approximately Rs 116.3 Crores, making Assam the first state to undertake such an innovative step.
At the weekly #AssamCabinet, we took several important decisions related to building a new bridge over the Brahmaputra, hiking State subsidy for PMAY houses, recruitment of teachers, new medical colleges, boosting river transport and upgrading ITIs & polytechnics, among others. pic.twitter.com/ZxyBnGuDaA
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 3, 2022
The state cabinet has also approved the contract for construction of Terminal & Riverine Infrastructure at Guwahati Gateway Ghat; which will integrate connectivity and safe communication in ferry ghats of Guwahati & North Guwahati alongwith boosting tourism potential of the Brahmaputra. The total contract value is Rs 289.45 Crores.
Besides, the Assam Inland Waterways Company Limited (AIWCL) – a fully-owned state government will be constituted. The mandate of this company includes – establishment, maintaining and operating cost-effective water transportation services within Assam, including river cruises; developing & maintaining all-weather ports, jetties, passenger terminals, etc.
The state cabinet has also decided to recruit 3,564 graduate teachers and 1,304 post-graduate teachers along government and provincialized high & higher-secondary schools.
It has decided to upgrade 34 Polytechnics and 43 government-run Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into ‘Centres of Excellence’ in association with Tata Technologies Limited (TTL) to provide upskilling opportunities to skilled workers of Assam, working across various industries like – tea processing, food processing, handicrafts & textiles, etc. This proposed project cost Rs 2,390 Crores.
Administrative approvals have been given for construction of new Medical Colleges & Hospitals at Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Golaghat and Morigaon. These hospitals will be constructed under NIDA and implemented by Assam Infrastructure Financing Authority (AIFA). The total project cost is Rs 2000 crores.
Furthermore, Assam Complex will be established at Tiware Village, Raigarh district of Maharashtra for promoting state’s rich cultural heritage. The committee will be formed to negotiate price of land, and will submit report within 20 days.
