APSC jobs only to permanent residents of state: Assam cabinet

GUWAHATI:

The Assam government has decided to offer Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) jobs to only those candidates who are permanent residents of Assam. This was decided by a crucial meeting of the Assam Cabinet held in Bongaigaon on November 24.

The meeting chaired by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has also decided to withdraw Assamese and English papers from the civil services exam conducted by the APSC to do away with the language barrier.

The cabinet, however, put three conditions before considering candidates for APSC - the candidate must be a resident of Assam, his/her name should be registered with the employment exchange of the state, and the candidate must be fluent in Assamese and other recognised languages of the state.

During the meeting, the cabinet also decided to grant all government employees a four-day leave to meet their parents in January 2022.

In cases when an employee has lost both parents, then these leaves can be used for his/her parents-in-law. However, employees who do not wish to visit their parents will not be given these leaves. Even ministers, IAS officers, IPS officers, everyone can enjoy these leaves in the state.

The cabinet also decided to enhance 31 per cent dearness allowance/dearness relief (28%t+3%) to all government employees, pensioners, family pension holders, and extraordinary pension holders in revised rate from July 1, 2021.

The cabinet also decided to merge the Board of Secondary Education Assam (SEBA) and Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).
Addressing a press conference after the meeting chief minister Sarma said that currently the SEBA and AHSEC are functioning separately and the decision to merge the two educational boards in Assam has been taken in order to fully implement the new National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).

The cabinet also decided to convert a total of 1000 schools into Higher Secondary (HS) schools in the first phase. Whereas, all lower primary schools will be merged with nearby Middle English (ME) schools with an aim to prevent student dropouts.

The cabinet also decided to introduce an e-procurement system for procurement of items above Rs 25 lakh. However, the exemption has been made in case of “emergency procurement” and “urgent works” as defined in the Assam Public Procurement rules, 2020. The exemptions has been given to 10 statutory autonomous councils of Mora, Kamatapur, Bodo Kachari Welfare, Matak, Rabha Jasang, Mising, Tiwa, DEori, Thengal Kachari and Sonowal Kachari.

The cabinet also decided to extend Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) benefits to occupiers of government land for 10 years provided the persons in occupation are eligible for settlement and land is found fit for it.

The provision for the cut-off date for continuous occupation in government land in Guwahati and other towns in case of such eligible indigenous landless persons will be amended from June 28 1001 to June 28 2021, the cabinet decided.

TNT-The Northeast Today is now on WhatsApp: CLICK HERE to receive more updates on your phone.