GUWAHATI, Jan 12 (PTI): The state government on Thursday decided to set up a 50 mw solar power plant in Sonitpur district’s Barchalla, where an eviction drive cleared 1,000 bigha of land last year.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“We will make a 50 mw solar park at Barchalla, where an eviction drive took place last year. This will further protect the area from any possibility of future encroachment,” tourism minister Jayanta Malla Baruah told reporters.
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On September 3, the Assam government carried out a major eviction drive in 1,000 bigha of land, where 299 families were living. The affected families, most of whom were Bengalis, were living there for years.
The cabinet also approved a closed river circuit, which will connect five pilgrimage sites – Kamakhya, Doul Gobinda, Ashwaklanta, Umananda and Pandu Nath – under the Sagarmala project, the minister said.
“A ferry will connect these areas through a hop-on hop-off service. It will be a joint venture between the state government and the Centre. The state will have 45 per cent share, and 55 per cent will be held by the Centre,” he added.
The cabinet also decided to install smart electricity meters in 44 lakh households at an expenditure of Rs 4,362 crore, Baruah said addressing a press conference after the meeting.
“We believe that this will generate employment opportunities for 5,000 technicians and 2,000 research agents,” he said.
Besides, the cabinet also decided that Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) certificates will be equivalent to High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and Higher Secondary from now on.
“The board will also be empowered for this. This is a big decision on technical education in Assam,” Baruah said.
He further said that the cabinet decided to allot 227 bigha of land for setting up a battalion of the NDRF in Hajo of Kamrup district.
“The transfer of inspectors in a district can be done by the district SPs instead of police headquarters in Guwahati under the present system,” Baruah said.
The cabinet also decided that the Controller of Legal Metrology will be merged with the Food and Civil Supplies Department, he said.
