Assam Cabinet Expansion and Key Decisions
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a cabinet expansion on December 7th, inducting four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs. The new ministers are Prasanta Phookan (Dibrugarh), Kaushik Rai (Lakhipur), Krishnendu Paul (Patharkandi), and Rupesh Goala (Doomdooma).
Ban on beef consumption in public places: The government has decided to ban the serving and consumption of beef in any restaurant, hotel, and public places across the state. This decision aims to curb the slaughter of cattle and protect the sentiments of the majority population.
The four-lane stretch of road leading to the airport will be expanded to a six-lane road, with an additional allocation of Rs. 116 crore from the state budget.
A separate literary award will be instituted after noted litterateur Dr Homen Borgohain for those receiving government pensions. A one-time assistance of Rs. 50,000 will be provided to pensioners already receiving any other pension. Additionally, the monthly literary pension will be given to individuals, excluding government employees.
The Sanskrit and Pali Tols will be placed under the Directorate of Secondary Education from the existing Directorate of Higher Education.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to announce projects worth Rs. 1 lakh crore during his visit to the Advantage Assam Summit in February next year. These projects include the expansion of the Bongaigaon Refinery, the expansion of the Namrup Fertilizer Plant, the Guwahati Ring Road project, the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, the Numaligarh-Gohpur road tunnel, a new Expressway from Guwahati to Barapani and Panchgram, a bridge over the Brahmaputra connecting Morigaon and Darrang, two satellite townships at Jagiroad and Palasbari, and a railway project connecting Guwahati to Gelephu in Bhutan.
These decisions are expected to have a significant impact on the state's infrastructure, education, and economy. The ban on beef consumption is likely to be met with mixed reactions, while the other decisions are expected to be welcomed by the public. The development projects announced by the Prime Minister are expected to boost the state's economy and create new job opportunities.