GUWAHATI: The Assam cabinet on Tuesday approved setting up annual state awards – “Asom Ratna”, “Asom Bibhushan”, “Asom Bhushan” and “Asom Shree” – in a replication of the country’s highest civilian awards and decided that photographs of President, Prime Minister and Assam’s first CM Gopinath Bordoloi will have to be displayed at all government offices.
State education minister Ranoj Pegu, in the post-cabinet meeting briefing, said the “Asom Ratna” award will be presented every year to a person who has made significant contributions to society and will carry cash component of Rs 5 lakh.
Similarly, “Asom Bibhushan” will be presented to three persons with Rs 3 lakh cash for each, “Asom Bhushan” to five persons with Rs 2 lakh each and “Asom Shree” to 10 persons every year with Rs 1 lakh each.
The recipients will also be eligible for other benefits like free medical treatment of critical illness, free stay at Assam Bhawans and free travel in Assam State Transport Corporation buses.
The cabinet also decided to institute “literary pension” in the name of litterateur Homen Borgohain, who recently died following post-Covid-19 complications, on his birthday on December 7.
Similarly, sports pension will be conferred in the name of Arjun Bhogeswar Barua on his birthday on September 3 and artiste award will be conferred on January 17 every year.
Approving a major administrative reform, the cabinet decided to simplify the processes of flood damage assessment and repairing of infrastructure.
Accordingly, all deputy commissioners have been authorised to take necessary action regarding flood assessment and repairing of infrastructure within a time frame between April 1 and October 31.
The cabinet also recommended holding the first budget session of the present assembly from July 12 and decided to hand over 35 bighas of additional land to the management committee of Batadrava Than Cultural and Tourism Project for its smooth implementation.
Cultural affairs minister Bimal Bora will review the status of the project every month.
The cabinet also decided to utilise the 77,000 bighas of government land freed from encroachers at Gorukhuti, Sipajhar in Darrang for agricultural purposes and set up a committee headed by MLA Padma Hazarika for the purpose.
He will be assisted by Lok Sabha MP Dilip Saikia, MLAs Mrinal Saikia and Paramananda Rajbangshi with secretary and director agriculture Vinod Seshan as member secretary.