Assam cabinet sanctions land for doubling of railway tracks in Azara-Kamakhya section.

The Assam cabinet approved key initiatives on Tuesday, including the allocation of land for doubling railway tracks in the Azara-Kamakhya section via Goalpara. State minister Jayanta Malla Baruah announced that the cabinet sanctioned eight bighas of government land to the Railway Ministry for this purpose, confirming that local consultations had been held prior to the decision.

Additionally, the cabinet approved the payment of salaries for over 130 teachers in Karbi Anglong district. These teachers were initially appointed by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) without the necessary approvals from the state government or finance department. The cabinet's decision to formalize these appointments is contingent upon verifying that the candidates meet the basic criteria, as stipulated by the Hills Area Department.

In further education-related decisions, the cabinet sanctioned the re-engagement of 451 part-time faculty members across various engineering colleges and polytechnics to fill regular vacant posts. It also approved administrative revaluation funding of over ₹150 crore for the construction of three polytechnics located in Hajo, Majuli, and Tingkhong.

To address student attendance and reduce dropout rates, the cabinet approved the procurement of bicycles for Class 9 students in secondary government and provincialised schools for the 2024-25 academic year. This initiative has a financial sanction of ₹148.55 crore, which will provide bicycles to approximately 323,640 students.

In a related announcement, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed via social media that the cabinet has also addressed a pay scale anomaly affecting Computor Grade II, Grade I, and Head Computor positions under the Directorate of Land Records and Survey, Assam. This adjustment aims to rectify long-standing disparities in grade pay between Computors and Tranversers within the same directorate, considering their similar work responsibilities and technical qualifications.

ET