GUWAHATI, July 18: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said there is a drought-like situation in five districts in the western part of the state.
He said the cabinet has in principle approved notifying the affected districts, and the revenue department will formally declare the drought-like situation.
“According to data from the meteorological department and groundwater commission, there is less-than-normal rainfall in five districts of western Assam,” Sarma said, addressing a press conference after chairing a meeting of the council of ministers.
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Sarma said these districts have received 40-per cent deficient rainfall, and farmers who had insured their crops under the Fasal Bima Yojana will be eligible for compensation as per the guidelines.
A few other districts of Assam have also received less rainfall so far this year, and paddy output could be hit if it continues in July-August, he said.
Asked if tea production got impacted, too, Sarma said it has not been affected yet though it could face difficulty if rains are not adequate.
Among other decisions taken at the cabinet meet was approval for a major project for Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH), Dibrugarh, on its platinum jubilee year.
The project will include construction of quarters and hostels for faculty members, students and nurses.
“The tender process has already been completed and the foundation will be laid within 10-15 days,” Sarma said.
He said under ‘Mission Basundhara 3.0’, the cabinet approved land rights for more than 4,000 government departments, educational institutions and clubs, which had been in possession of the land for several years.
“There are about 17,000 more such applications pending at the district-level and those will be cleared by July 31. From August, we will start distribution of the land ‘pattas’,” the chief minister said.
He said the cabinet also cleared land allotment for 12 families, which were affected in an eviction drive on government land in Lakhimpur district, and they will be exempted from paying any premium.
For oil exploration projects undertaken by companies such as OIL, ONGC and similar entities, it was decided that the state government shall not initiate acquisition of land by default.
Oil exploration companies, central/state-owned or private sector agencies duly authorised by the central government have been permitted to purchase or lease the required land directly from landowners through negotiated settlement, as per prevailing market rates and applicable guidelines.
An online portal shall be developed and hosted by the revenue department for facilitating hydrocarbon companies to apply for auto-reclassification of land and for making payment of premium at rates as applicable, Sarma said.
The cabinet has also approved notifying exemption of hydrocarbon exploration and production activities from the purview of ‘The Assam Regulation of Reclassification and Reclassification cum Transfer of Lands Act, 2015’, subject to the payment of the applicable premium.
This will streamline the process of land availability for hydrocarbon exploration and production activities in the state, and also expedite strategic hydrocarbon projects, generate premium revenue for the state, strengthen national energy security while promoting ease-of-doing-business, he said.
Sarma said the cabinet gave the nod for allotment of land in Sarusajai area of the city for a Rs 800-crore hospital, the MoU for which was signed in Advantage Assam 2.0.
Along with the hospital on the front side of the plot, a five-star hotel will also be built in the other part, a move that will promote medical tourism and create 2,700 jobs, the CM said.
An amount of Rs 342 crore for a one-time payment of Rs 5,000 each to 7 lakh tea garden workers and staff, under the ‘Ek Koli Duti Pat’ scheme, coinciding with 200 years of Assam Tea, has also been approved by the council of ministers.
A plot of 150 bighas of land in Deusor, Kamrup district, has been sanctioned for setting up of a National University for Disability Study by the central government.
The cabinet also cleared extending medical insurance benefits to employees of three power corporations and contractual teachers of Adarsha Vidyalayas, Sarma added. (PTI)
