GUWAHATI, Sept 7 - The State Cabinet today cleared the decks for creation of five new districts and amended the Assam Civil Services and Home Guards Service Rules.
The Cabinet, which was chaired by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while clearing the decks for creation of new districts, asked a Cabinet Sub- Committee headed by Dr Bhumidhar Barman to examine the apprehensions expressed by a section of people in this regard.
Talking to The Assam Tribune after the meeting, Agriculture Minister Rakibul Hussain, who is also the State Government spokesman, said that a section of people at Jamugurihat area want to stay with Sonitpur district instead of going to Biswanath Chariali district. Similarly, some people of South Salmara want to stay with Dhubri district instead of going to Mankachar district. In view of such demands, the Cabinet Sub-Committee has been asked to examine the matter and suggest measures.
It may be mentioned here that the Chief Minister, in his Independence Day speech, had announced the creation of five new districts.
Hussain said that the second major decision taken by the Cabinet is to amend the Assam Civil Services Rules. He said that the amendment of the rules would speed up the promotions of the officers of the Assam Civil Services (ACS). He pointed out that the ACS officers had to wait for a long time for promotions, but the amendment of the rules would clear the decks for expediting the promotion prospects of the officers.
The Cabinet also amended the service rules of the Home Guards. Hussain revealed that the Rules were not amended since 1950 and though from time to time, the remunerations of the Home Guards were increased, the same were not regularized. The amendment of the service rules also increased the retirement age of Home Guard personnel up to 55 years. Earlier, the Home Guards were engaged in four year terms but that has also been increased to seven years.
