Guwhatai: For the first time in the history of Assam, the state government on Wednesday held a cabinet meeting at the historic Gandhi Mandap in Guwahati.

“As the site is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, holding the meet there provided us with the necessary motivation to carry out our constitutional obligations,” Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Addressing a press conference after the state cabinet meeting, the Assam Chief Minister said the Guwahati Smart City Limited had installed a beautiful sound and light show at Gandhi Mandap and it was started from Oct 2 this year.

“Today we will witness the sound and light show at Gandhi Mandap. We want to make a public awareness through this so that other people and students will come here and see the sound and light show. We had made more improvement of Gandhi Mandap situated atop Sarania Hills. I appeal the people of the Assam to come to Sarania Hills. We held the state cabinet meeting here to make public awareness. Today’s cabinet has taken several important decisions,” Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Announcing the cabinet decisions, the Assam Chief Minister said that, earlier, the state cabinet had decided to introduce Adarani Seva for pregnant women, but many people don’t use Adarani Seva.

“Today, we have decided to transfer Rs 700 to all pregnant women to their bank accounts and around 5 lakh pregnant women of the state will get benefit. We have approved Rs 361 crore for BTC as first installment under annual budget. The state cabinet has approved to set up Safai Karmachari Aayog for Safai workers for their development,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He further said that, from 1985 many jawans of Assam police were martyred and the state government had given financial assistance to their families, but didn’t able to provide government jobs to the next kin of the martyred jawans.

“Those martyred families who already got government jobs they will not get government jobs again, but those who not got jobs, our government will provide government job to each family. Nearly 400 families of police martyrs will get benefit from this. The state cabinet has approved Rs 525 crore for construction of 162 new police stations in the state under Moitry scheme. We will build a new integrated police station at Palasbari where quarters of officers, staff will be there,” the Assam Chief Minister said.

He also said that, there will be no more optional papers in the Combined Competitive Examination conducted by APSC.

“The Chairman, members of APSC will get benefits under 7th Pay commission. The state cabinet has decided to reserve 2% posts of Grade – I and II for ex-army. APDCL and ONGC will jointly establish a 250 MW solar power project. The state cabinet has approved Rs 285 crore to APDCL. 40 lakh more people of the state will get ration cards. 3rd Assam Forest Battalion will be set up in Lakhimpur and 1100 new posts will be created. 1700 vacant posts will be filled up in forest department. The education department will advertise for filling up 6,000-7,000 regular & contractual posts - 530 contractual posts in education department, before December 30. We have already given appointment letters of 40,000 and for results will be declared of another 30,000 posts and we will advertise for another 30,000 posts. The state cabinet has approved to rename the Assam Police Academy, Dergaon as Lachit Borphukan Police Academy, Dergaon,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)