File photo of Assam Cabinet

The State Cabinet in a meeting held at Janata Bhawan in Dispur here under the chairmanship of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took a number of important decisions on Monday.

The State Cabinet in its meeting recommended the name of sprint queen Hima Das as the brand ambassador of sports in Assam. It may be mentioned that Hima Das, who is from Dhing  in Nagaon district, scripted history when she became the first Indian woman to win a gold at IAAF World U-20 Championship, claiming the top spot in the women’s 400m final race in Tampere, Finland.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

During the Cabinet meeting, the issue of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), final draft of which has been scheduled to be published on July 30, 2018, was also discussed.

In the run-up to the final draft NRC publication, the Assam Government urged the people not to panic even though they fail to find their names in the final draft NRC.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandramohan Patowary, while talking to the media after the Cabinet meeting said, “This is only a draft NRC. Everyone will get opportunity to establish themselves as an Indian citizen. If any citizen fails to get his or her name in the draft NRC, it does not mean that he or she will have to go to the detention camp. They will get opportunity to apply.”

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

During Monday’s Cabinet, it was also decided to relax the minimum age limit of the OBC and MOBC candidates for three years who apply for Government services. Following the decision of the State Cabinet, now the minimum age limit of OBC and MOBC candidates to apply for Government jobs in Assam has been increased from 43 to 47 years.

The State Cabinet also decided to rehabilitate the 225 families who provided land for construction of the IIT.

The Cabinet also approved the Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring (PRANAM) Act.

The Cabinet also decided to pay salary for the State Government employees working in technical and medical colleges at the revised pay scale.

It was also decided to start Invest Assam by the Industries Department.
Moreover, start-ups would be started for the first time in Assam. The headquarters of Start-ups will be set up at Ambari in Guwahati. The State Government will grant up to Rs 50 lakh.

The Social Forestry Division at Hojai will be shifted to Central Division and this division will be at Biswanath.