Assam has made a strong case for ending the 14-year status quo on redrawing the boundaries of its parliamentary and assembly constituencies to protect the political rights ofindigenous communitiesand counter the possibility of minorities calling the shots in six of the 14 Lok Sabha seats during the2024 polls.
The state has submitted a proposal to the Centre, saying the situation is conducive for a delimitation exercise, said CM.
Black rice is well suited for Assam soils and weather conditions, carrying a huge opportunity for its commercial production. The -funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation project (APART), has begun production of new black rice varieties from different states of India. The crop is expected to be harvested within the next week from the project wherein the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has embarked on this ambitious collaboration with the Government of Assam under the APART, IRRI said in a release.
The seeds of these varieties were sown on a total area of 17.6 bighas of land, comprising Manipuri black rice in 10 bigha, Kalavati in 3.6 bigha and Kalamalifula in 4.0 bigha as demonstration plots. These demonstrations are aimed to link the farmers with the buyers for higher returns and to make available good quality seed for future use. “With the current demand for black rice due to its high nutritional value and Health benefits, IRRI under APART aims at increasing areas with black rice production in the coming days,” the release said.
Some of the prominent names to be present during the meet are Bengt Berg of Sweden, Vadim Terekhin of Russia, Francisco Munoz Soler, Yolanda Castano and Miguel Rodriguez Monteavaro of Spain, Raja Ahmad Aminullah and Nor Hafizah Binti Ahmad Nasarudin of Malaysia, Md Aminur Rahman from Bangladesh, Reshma Ramesh, Sankha Subhra Devbarman and Shyamasree Dasgupta from India.
Followed by a seminar on the theme titled “Connecting Art & Literature – Various Aspects” and cultural programme in which various artists will perform showcasing the rich culture and heritage of Assam.
While replying to a question on states plans on reviving the states dying PSUs, Sarma said his government will instead invest public funds in setting up medical colleges, hospitals and rather than in PSUs. This governments policy is that we do not want to set up any Industry in the public sector because this government does not subscribe to Socialism. Public sector industry was the concept of the socialist movement. We will not set up industries. Instead of investing in the public sector, we will invest in Health, Education, and anganwadi, he said.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced the Centres approval to an over Rs 3,000-crore externally aided project (EAP) for building the eighth bridge over the Brahmaputra river near Guwahati and also performed the bhoomi pujan for another EAP worth Rs 2,200 crore for a 120-MW hydel project in Assams Dima Hasao district. In a day-long visit to the state, Sitharaman also laid the foundation of improvement and upgrading work of a 90-km road from Haflong Tinali to Lower Haflong at an estimated cost of Rs 900 crore to be implemented under ADB-aided Assam Road Network Improvement Project (ARNIP).
In her last engagement, she launched the Assams Right to Public Services portal. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the portal is a way forward for electronic delivery of ARTPS notified public services to people. Our government is committed to bringing about fast, effective and resilient reforms in Governance in tandem with the rapidly transforming world, he added.
This run-of-the-river project over Kopili river will help increase electricity supplied from clean energy by 469 gigawatt hour (GWh) by 2025 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 360,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
The cabinet also approved sending a request to the Indian Olympic Association to allow Assam to hostthe NationalGames in either 2025 or 2027. The free scooters will be for meritorious students, who have excelled in the recently-concluded higher secondary (Class 12) examination under the state board. While the qualifying Percentage for a scooter for girl students is 60% marks, for boy students, the cut-off will be 75%.
On the other hand, the bicycles will be for 3,78,000 girl and boy students studying in Class IX in the states 4,372 government and provincialised schools. The cabinet sanctioned over Rs 167 crore for procurement of the bicycles through Government e Marketplace (GeM) portal.
The ITE Education Services ofSingaporeformally handed over the reins of North East Skill Centre to theAssamSkill Development Mission (ASDM).
He added that Indias connection with Singapore dates back to the Chola dynasty period when they shared strong commercial, cultural and people-to-people links.
Shanmugaratnam said Assam has tremendous potential for Growth and the upcoming mega projects such as Assam Skill University can be a role model for the rest of India in terms of Vocational Education.
CM Sarma said in Hojai that the decision to cleanse the state of the scourge of drugs was beyond political inclination or ideology.
Three central Assam districts Nagaon, Hojai and Morigaon and the hill district of Karbi Anglong, bordering Nagaland, are under the Police‘s radar as these have become the most-favoured transit routes of drug runners. DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said in Hojai that most drug consignments originate in Myanmar and enter the state through Karbi Anglong.
A total of 874 cases have been registered and 1,493 drug runners arrested since the new government was formed on May 10.
AllAssamMinorities Students Union (AAMSU), while meeting the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, submitted a memorandum seeking rejection orders for those excluded from theNRCand for improving the educational and Health of the minority dominated areas for checking the Population–Growth“>Population Growth.
The leaders of Aamsu, an influential students body representing both religious and linguistic minorities, met the chief minister on Wednesday, following the controversy where Sarma had appealed the states immigrant Muslim population to adopt a decent family planning practice.
It added that as per PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) guidelines, children studying in classes from Bal Vatika (just before Class-I) to Class VIII in government, government-aided and NCLP (National Child Labour Project) schools only are covered under PM POSHAN.
The venture schools were set up by locals of various places from time to time and later got recognition from the to impart Education. However, the Services of the teachers were not regularised in these schools and the local residents mostly took care of the school Infrastructure needs.