Page 40 - Assam

QCI, dept of family welfare signs MoU to improve food safety in Assam

An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Quality Council of India (QCI) and Commissionerate of Food Safety, Assam, Department of Health and Family Welfare to improve the food safety ecosystem in the state. The MoU aims to create quality infrastructure mechanisms by intervention such as conformity assessment framework and infrastructure, training and capacity building of stakeholders, among others, according to an official release. The MoU was signed at the Assam Gunvatta Sankalp event held here by the QCI with the support of the state government. The MoU marks a significant milestone in the journey towards excellence in quality and this collaboration will further strengthen the quality and safety of food products in the state, the release stated. Besides the signing of the MoU, the Sankalp also featured sessions with various aspects of the state's development in multivariate sectors including education and skilling, industry and MSME, sustainable agriculture, touris

Assam spent Rs 108 cr as rent for choppers, aircraft in 5 yrs: Minister

The Assam government has spent more than Rs 108 crore as rent for helicopters and chartered aircraft in the last five financial years, minister Ranjeet Dass informed the state assembly on Tuesday. The highest amount of Rs 34,13,42,303 was paid in 2022-23, he said. Dass, the Minister of General Administration Department, was replying to a question by Congress MLA Sibamoni Bora on expenses incurred towards rent of helicopters and charted planes. The rented aircraft were used for participating in different government programmes in 2022-23, he said. The expenditure incurred in 2020-21 was Rs 25,05,70,036, and Rs 19,71,42,601 in 2021-22. The total amount spent in the last five years was Rs 1,08,10,06,471, Dass added.

Assam power projects suspended for failing to follow policy needs: CAG

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Monday said five small hydro power projects in Assam had to be abandoned or suspended due to non-adherence of statutory and policy requirements in project execution. It also pointed to delay ranging from six to nine years in commissioning of two other power projects. The observations were made in the CAG report on state public sector enterprises for the year 2021-2022, which was laid in the state Assembly on the first day of the autumn session. The report said Assam Power General Corporation Ltd (APGCL) had three operational power plants with installed capacity of 361.70 MW. Out of the capacity addition of 371.66 MW (five projects) planned during 2017-22, APGCL could commission only three projects (181.66 MW). Of these three projects, only the Lakwa Replacement Power Project was commissioned on time, while Namrup Replacement Power Project (NRPP) and Myntriang Small Hydro Electric Project were commissioned with a delay of six and nine ye

Over 3,900 people held in child marriage cases in five years: Assam CM

Altogether 3,907 people have been arrested in Assam in cases relating to child marriage in the past five years, the state Assembly was informed on Monday. Out of them, 3,319 are facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, while replying to a question by Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia. The court has so far convicted 62 people in such cases, he added. The state government had launched a drive against child marriage in February this year and it was kept on hold now. Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that 316 corruption-related cases have been registered under Assam Police in the last five years. Of these, 91 cases are with the CID, 198 with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing, and 27 with the Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell. As many as 479 people have been arrested in connection with these cases. The chief minister also said that 491 suspected land brokers have been arrested and ca

Over 2,000 people to be arrested in Assam over child marriages: CM Himanta

Since February, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Assam has undertaken a statewide crackdown on child marriages

Arunachal villagers unwilling to go to Assam as dispute solving measure

A village in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Siang district has become a part of Assam in a proposal to resolve the decades-long boundary dispute between the two northeastern neighbours, and the villagers are not happy. The people of Durpai village under Kangku circle want to stay in Arunachal Pradesh and have threatened to launch an agitation if their demand is not met soon. The villagers under the aegis of Durpai Village Development Committee (DVDC) demanded immediate rectification of the looping system and keeping Durpai where it is now. Though the proposals have not yet been made public, the villagers said they have come to know about it from some officials. On April 20 this year, Assam and the Arunachal Pradesh governments signed an MoU at New Delhi in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resolve their border disputes. Regional committees were formed to look after the inter-state boundary issue. DVDC President Reli Kena said, According to the MoU, Durpai has been clubbed wi

CM Sarma unveils Gandhi statue at Assam Legislative Assembly new building

Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister said, "The work on the building was going on for a while, while I was the speaker of the assembly"

Give away Gandhi title: Assam CM to Rahul, terms family Sardar of duplicate

CM Sarma praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 'Delhi Declaration' adopted during the G20 leaders' summit in Delhi and said that it happened only because of him

Assam govt to recommend govt for withdrawal of AFSPA, cabinet gives nod

The Assam government will recommend to the Centre for the complete withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 or AFSPA from the state from October 1, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. In view of the significant improvement in the security situation of the state, the cabinet approved the recommendation for the withdrawal of AFSPA from the remaining eight districts of the state, Sarma said late on Friday night. "The final decision, however, will be taken by the Government of India," he added. The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces if they shoot someone dead. The state cabinet also approved an additional Rs 41.77 crore for developing infrastructure for the newly-raised 2nd battalion of the Assam Police in Hailakandi, 4th battalion in Sivasagar and 5th Battalion in Biswanath, Sarma said. The cabinet also decided to provide a ...

Withdraw Disturbed Areas Act, AFSPA from entire state: Assam to Centre

Earlier, Assam CM Sarma on Monday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital and pleaded for the complete withdrawal of the AFSPA from the state

Himanta Biswa launches projects worth Rs 136 cr in Assam's Barak valley

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday rolled out various infrastructure projects worth Rs 136 crore in Cachar district of Barak valley. Sarma, who is on a two-day visit to the Barak valley, inaugurated two bridges and laid the foundation stone for a new building for the office of the Cachar District Commissioner here. "To decongest Silchar City, HCM Dr @himantabiswa inaugurated the Badrighat bridge over River Barak connecting Barenga and Kashipur," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Built at a cost of Rs 58 crore, this nearly "one km-long bridge along with its approach road connects the NH-37 and NH-54 on the Silchar Fulertal Road", it said. "HCM Dr @himantabiswa has inaugurated the 2nd RCC bridge in Barak Valley, today. Built at a cost of Rs 14 cr (crore), the bridge, over River Sonai, is the first bridge giving road connectivity to more than 7,000 people residing at Dungripar village in Sonai," the CMO said in a separate post. Later

PepsiCo India to invest Rs 778 cr for new manufacturing plant in Assam

The company aims to provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to 500 people with this new plant

PepsiCo to invest Rs 778 cr in Assam to open first food manufacturing plant

Leading beverage & food maker PepsiCo on Wednesday said it will invest Rs 778 crore to set up its first food manufacturing plant at Nalbari, in Assam. Spread over 44.2 acres, the plant is proposed to be operational in 2025 and aims to provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to 500 people from Assam, said a statement from PepsiCo. This is the first investment in the North Eastern region by the company with portfolio of beverages and food brands, including Pepsi, 7UP, Mountain Dew, Slice, Tropicana, Mirinda, Lay's, Kurkure, Uncle Chips and Quaker Oats. PepsiCo India has signed a tripartite MoU with Assam Skill Development Mission and Directorate of Employment & Craftsman training for fostering women empowerment and creating a safe and supportive work environment to enhance women employability in the region. "The plant targets to intake 100 per cent diverse talent and aiming atleast 75 per cent women representation and intends to set up its first Community Learning ..

PFC inks pact to provide Rs 1,229 cr term loan to Assam Petrochemicals

State-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC) on Monday signed a pact to provide Rs 1,229 crore term loan to Assam Petrochemicals to implement a 500 tonnes per day methanol plant at Namrup and 200 tonnes per day formalin plant at Boitamari in Assam. "PFC and Assam Petrochemicals Ltd (APL) signed a loan agreement on September 4, 2023, for extending a term loan of Rs 1,229 crore for the implementation of 500 Tons Per Day (TPD) Methanol Plant, including their 11 MW Captive Power Plant (CPP) at Namrup and 200 TPD Formalin Plant, including their Captive 0.90 MW power plant at Boitamari in Assam at an estimated Project Cost of Rs 1,827 Crore," a PFC statement said. The 500 TPD Methanol Plant, including 11 MW CPP, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on April 14, 2023, on completion. The project, including the 200 TPD Formalin Plant, is scheduled to commence commercial operation by March 31, 2024. The APL is a state public sector undertaking of the Government of Assam (GOA), comprising GOA

Assam CM meets Shah to discuss roadmap for complete withdrawal of Afspa

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in New Delhi to discuss the roadmap for the complete withdrawal of Afspa

Assam to advertise 22,000 govt jobs in two months, says CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that 22,000 posts will be advertised within the next two months in order to recruit one lakh people for government jobs under the present BJP-led regime. At an official function, Sarma distributed appointment letters to 514 candidates of the last Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) to fill up vacancies in Class-III and Class-IV posts under various departments. The total number of government jobs offered till date during his term as the chief minister stands at 87,402, Sarma said. "Within a month or two, advertisements for recruitment to fill another 22,000 vacancies will be published. That will take the total number of recruitments to well above the 1-lakh promised earlier," he said on Sunday. The BJP had promised to provide one lakh government jobs in Assam during the campaigning of the 2021 assembly polls. Sarma said the decision to offer one lakh jobs to unemployed youths of Assam was ratified by the state cabinet i

Assam govt to introduce bill in state assembly to ban polygamy: CM Sarma

"We will finalize the Bill in the next 45 days. I think I will be able to introduce the Bill in the assembly in December this year", said Himanta Biswa Sarma, CM, Assam

Except Assam, north-eastern states lag CMVR implementation: Dealers' body

Barring Assam, other northeastern states are "lagging" in implementing rules about paperless and online registration of vehicles, an automobile dealers' body claimed on Saturday. It urged all states in the regions to expedite the implementation of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) for these online services aimed at easing the procedure for customers as well as dealers. While some states like Assam are doing commendable work in implementing CMVR, others are still lagging. It should be understood that the rules are framed to make it convenient for customers as well as for dealers, Federation of Automobile Dealers' Associations CEO Saharash Damani said at a press conference here. Sharing the status of CMVR implementation in six northeastern states, he said Assam has achieved it in all six parameters, from online issues of registration marks to digitally granting trade licences to doing away with the need for vehicles to be inspected or documents to be sent to regional transport ..

Assam flood worsens as over 300,000 people affected in 21 districts

The flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Tuesday as over three lakh people were affected by the deluge in 21 districts of the state, an official bulletin said. Several major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, continued to flow above the danger level in different parts of the state. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin said the number of affected districts has gone up to 21 from 17 districts the previous day. The flood-hit population has also increased to 3,07,489, with Lakhimpur district the worst-affected as 71,889 people are reeling under flood waters in the district. The other worst-hit districts are Majuli where 47,163 people have been affected and Golaghat with 40,921 affected population. The number of flood-affected people in the state was 1,90,675 on Monday. The death toll in this year's flood remained at 15 with no new casualties reported. Altogether 698 people are taking shelter in four relief camps, while another 87 relief distribution cen

SJVN gets letters of award to build 3 solar projects of 320 MW in Assam

State-owned SJVN Ltd on Tuesday said it has received letters of award for three solar projects worth Rs 1,900 crore from Assam Power Development Corporation. These projects, with a cumulative capacity of 320 MW, will be developed by an SJVN arm, SGEL, on a build, own and operate basis. "The SJVN has received separate Letter of Awards (LoA) for executing three solar projects of 320 MW of cumulative capacity from Assam Power Development Corporation Ltd (APDCL)," a company statement said. According to the statement, the SJVN participated in three separate tariff-based competitive bidding tenders of APDCL for 50 MW, 70 MW and 200 MW solar projects. The 50 MW and 70 MW solar projects have been allotted at a tariff of Rs 3.92 per unit and will be developed under the solar park category. The third solar project of 200 MW capacity has been allotted at a tariff of Rs 3.90 per unit and will be developed anywhere in Assam. All the projects shall be developed by SJVN through its wholly-owned