The Assam cabinet, under the chairmanship of chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced several decisions following a meeting held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati on February 10 evening.
Assam tourism minister Jayanta Malla Baruah revealed that the cabinet approved the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024. This bill aims to curb magical healing practices masquerading as medical treatment. Individuals found guilty of engaging in such illegal acts will face imprisonment and fines. The legislation targets practices claiming to treat congenital diseases like deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformities, and autism, imposing strict penalties on healers exploiting vulnerable populations.
Additionally, the cabinet sanctioned the establishment of a Wildlife Safari & Rescue Centre in Namdang Reserved Forest, Dibrugarh district, at an estimated cost of Rs 259 crore. This centre will offer rescue and rehabilitation services for local fauna, featuring international-standard safaris, walking trails, bird aviaries, and a veterinary facility. It is expected to attract tourists, create job opportunities for around 100 individuals, and positively impact the lives of approximately 50,000 people in the area by generating employment and economic activity.
Moreover, the cabinet approved the ‘Ten Cities Development Concept’ (Doh Shaher-Ek Rupayan) to ensure sustainable urban development. Ten cities — Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon, Tezpur, North-Lakhimpur, Bongaigaon, Silchar, Karimganj, Dhubri, and Haflong/Diphu — will serve as models for other urban local bodies in the state.
Other approved measures include the Village Defence Organisation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aimed at bolstering local defense mechanisms, and amendments to the Assam Municipal Act, 1956, to enhance urban administration. The latter involves defining the roles and responsibilities of three state municipal cadres: Assam Urban Administrative Service, Assam Urban Engineering Service, and Assam Urban Financial Service.
Furthermore, the cabinet greenlit the creation of 352 posts in the Assam Secretariat Service and the Assam Secretariat Subordinate Service.
