- विज्ञापन -
Guwahati: In its first meeting following the recent expansion of the cabinet led by Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam, several significant decisions were made on Saturday.
The cabinet has approved the formation of the Barak Valley Development Department, which aims to enhance development opportunities in southern Assam. According to a government statement, this department will focus on bringing administrative services closer to citizens and promoting equitable growth in the Barak Valley region, benefiting the districts of Cachar, Sribhumi, and Hailakandi by fostering rapid development and creating job opportunities for support staff.
Additionally, the cabinet sanctioned a Production Linked Incentive of Rs 2 per litre of ethanol for three grain-based ethanol manufacturing units, aiming to increase farmers’ income and promote cleaner fuel alternatives.
The cabinet also endorsed a Compensation Policy for the legal heirs or Next of Kin (NOK) of prisoners who die under unnatural circumstances.
Chief Minister Sarma shared on X, “In today’s meeting of the #AssamCabinet after its expansion, we resolved to create a Barak Valley Development Department; approve financial support to NOKs of deceased prisoners; and provide incentives for ethanol production to three units.”
The cabinet welcomed four new ministers: Prasanta Phookan, Kaushik Rai, Krishnendu Paul, and Rupesh Goala. This marks the first cabinet expansion since Sarma took office three years ago.
Previously, there were four vacant ministerial positions—three had been open since Sarma’s appointment, and one became available after former minister Parimal Suklabaidya won the recent Lok Sabha elections. Kaushik Rai is expected to fill Suklabaidya’s position, as they are both from the same district.
Prasanta Phookan is an MLA from Dibrugarh, while Krishnendu Paul represents the Patharkandi Assembly constituency in Sribhumi. Rupesh Goala is a legislator from the Doom Dooma constituency in Tinsukia. Both Rai and Goala were elected in the 2021 Assembly elections, while Paul has won the Patharkandi seat twice on a BJP ticket. Prasanta Phookan is a senior BJP leader and a four-time MLA from Dibrugarh.
