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Assam announces relief for bus operators, religious heads hit by Covid-19 curbs
One-time relief of ₹10,000 to bus drivers, conductors and handymen and ₹15,000 for heads and religious institutions has been announced.
The Assam government on Friday announced cash relief to bus operators and heads of religious institutions who have been adversely affected by Covid-19 restrictions in the state.
Addressing media persons to commemorate 100 days of his government, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a one-time relief of ₹10,000 each would be given to bus drivers, conductors and handymen while ₹15,000 each would be given to heads of religious institutions.
Due to a ban on inter-district movement of public transport in the past three months due to Covid-19 restrictions, nearly 60,000 persons associated with transport buses have been affected. Closure of religious places to the public since May has also impacted all religious places in the state.
In order to help mitigate and minimize climate change, the government approved converting all city buses plying in Guwahati under the state-owned transport corporation to electric and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles within the next 12 months.
“The cabinet has approved the purchase of 200 electric and 100 CNG buses for Guwahati. We aim to apply that rule to private bus operators in the city in a phased manner,” Sarma said.
The chief minister informed that the cabinet has approved to increase the monthly allowance given to over 2.2 million women as part of its flagship Orunudoi scheme from the existing ₹830 to ₹1,000 with immediate effect.
The cabinet also approved the inclusion of India and Assam’s history and geography as compulsory subjects in the syllabus of classes 9 and 10 in all government schools for all students.
“We plan to bring in a big change in the education sector implementing National Education Policy (NEP) in classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 of government schools. It will mean all high schools will get converted to higher secondary schools and junior colleges will include classes 9 and 10,” said Sarma.
This step will lead to a merger of the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) and Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC). The new provision will be implemented from April next year.
Henceforth, every month, one cabinet meeting would be held in district headquarters away from Guwahati.
On the occasion, the CM handed over appointment letters to one next of kin of the six Assam policemen who were killed in firing on the Assam-Mizoram border on July 26 this year.
Sarma informed that the government will soon ink a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with microfinance companies to waive off loans taken by women in the state. He added that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given statutory clearance to the move.
