Guwahati Apr 21 PTI All the seven panels formed by the Assam government to propose measures for the overall development of indigenous Assamese Muslims submitted their reports on Thursday an official release saidChief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received the reports and said his government will take measures for the all-around welfare of the communitySarma had held a meeting with eminent personalities from the minority community across the state after assuming office in May last yearThe seven subcommittees were constituted as per a decision of the meeting to undertake studies and give recommendations on cultural identity health education skill development population stabilisation financial inclusion and women empowerment of indigenous Assamese MuslimsThese panels have conducted studies and made recommendations in their respective reports the release saidBased on the recommendations the state government would formulate plans and implement them to achieve socio-economic and academic empowerment of the indigenous Assamese Muslim community it saidState minister Chandra Mohan Patowary CMs political secretary Jayanta Malla Baruah members of the subcommittees and senior officers of the government were present on the occasion the release added PTI SSG BDC BDC

Chennai Jan 20 PTI Vigilance raids were conducted on Thursday in different parts of Tamil Nadu and in Telangana at the premises of AIADMK leader and former Minister K P Anbalagan in connection with a disproportionate assets caseAnbalagan was the Higher Education Minister in the previous AIADMK governmentThe Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption DVAC Dharmapuri registered a disproportionate assets case against the former Minister and four of his close family members even as sleuths simultaneously raided 58 premises linked to him in Dharmapuri Salem and Chennai districts besides in TelanganaDuring the searches the authorities seized material objects and incriminating documents pertaining to the case In addition to an amount of Rs 28798650 gold ornaments weighing about 6637 Kilograms about 1385 Kilograms of silver and unaccounted cash of Rs 26531650 and bank locker key were seized Further investigation is onAnbalagan is the sixth former AIADMK Minister to come under the scanner of the DVACThe FIR registered by the Deputy Superintendent of Police DVAC under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 named Anbalagan and accused him of being involved in corrupt activities and intentionally enriching himself illicitly and acquiring properties and pecuniary resources on his name and on the names of his family members disproportionate to his known source of income The case pertains to his acquisition during his term in office as Minister between 2016 and 2021Anbalagan aged 62 is accused of illicitly enriching himself to the tune of Rs 1132 95755 on his name and that of his family members and others disproportionate to their known sources of income His assets should not have exceeded Rs 101039663 during the check period the DVAC saidAlso named in the FIR were Anbalagans wife A Maliga sons A Sasi Mohan and A Chandra Mohan and S Vaishnavee his daughter-in-lawThe affidavits filed by him during the 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections and information received from credible sources were taken into account for arriving at the quantum of disproportionate assets the FIR saidA petition had been filed by N Krishnamoorthy in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the DVAC to take up investigation with regard to his petition sent to the department in which he alleged that Anbalagan had amassed wealth disproportionate to his incomeAnbalagan representing the Palacode Assembly Constituency Dharmapuri district is the sixth former minister from the main opposition party to come under the vigilance net over alleged disproportionate assets with the others being MR Vijayabhaskar SP Velumani K C Veeramani C Vijayabaskar and P Thangamani PTI JSP ROH ROH

Guwahati Dec 22 PTI The Assam Assembly on Wednesday passed The Assam Motor Vehicle Taxation Amendment Bill 2021 paving the way for levy of tax on air-conditioned sleeper coaches Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary who moved the bill in the House accepted an amendment brought by the Opposition demanding a decrease in the rate of tax to be imposed under the legislation The amendment bill had proposed to levy Rs 9000 annual tax on fully built air-conditioned sleeper contract carriage buses with seats or berths up to 20 Conceding to the Opposition demand the rate was decreased to Rs 8000 per annum However the rate for similar buses with a seat or berth capacity of over 20 was kept at Rs 12000 per annum as proposed in the bill though the Opposition had asked for a reduction in it also The Assam government did not have any provision for the imposition of Motor Vehicle Tax on this category of bus before the passage of the amendment bill The state Assembly also passed The Assam Cooperative Societies Amendment Bill 2021 moved by Cooperation Minister Atul Bora The provision in the principal act that disallowed registration of any society in an area where another cooperative society already existed with similar objectives except with special permission has been removed in the amended bill PTI SSG MM MM

Guwahati Dec 21 PTI The Assam government on Tuesday said it will file police cases against persons encroaching on Wakf properties across the state and will consider eviction drives to clear such locationsReplying to a discussion in the assembly on misuse of Wakf properties in Assam Welfare of Minorities Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said the government is trying hard to realise the assets for the development of the peopleHe agreed to the opposition MLAs statements that scores of Wakf properties are encroached upon and many of the motawalis in-charge of those assets are indulging in irregularities including non-payment of revenues to the governmentYou will be shocked to know that many of the motawalis are our current and former MLA colleagues I will not take names but many of them have constructed commercial properties on Wakf land and are enjoying the earnings without paying anything to the government Patowary saidHe however said the revenue from the Wakf properties has increased since 2017 when the Assam Board of Wakfs ended its term compared to the earlier period with a full boardWe are now serious about clearing the mess in the Wakf Board and I request the members not to criticise us saying that we are doing politics These properties were donated in the name of Allah and for the welfare of mankind the minister saidHe informed the House that the chief secretary has been asked to issue a final notice to all the encroachers as well as the defaulters of paymentIf they do not respond to the notice then FIRs will be filed Then we will proceed legally and may consider eviction also Patowary said adding that many encroachers have reached the court challenging the Wakf propertiesHe said that the Wakf Board has 22430 bighas around 7415 acres of land in different parts of the stateEarlier the opposition MLAs demanded an effective Wakf Board and urged the government to carry out a survey of the properties spread across the towns and villagesThey unanimously accepted that a large scale of encroachment is taking place on these properties PTI TR SOM SOM

Guwahati Dec 18 PTI The ADB has signed a loan agreement with Assam Skill Development Mission for establishment of a university an official release said The Assam Skill University will be set up under the external-aided project funded by the Asian Development Bank The loan agreement was signed between ADBs Country Director Takeo Konishi and Assam Skill Development Mission Director Adil Khan on Friday Industry Commerce and Skill Development Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary termed the event as a major achievement for creation of a pool of skilled manpower in Assam The estimated cost of the project was USD 140 million including the states share of 20 per cent With an investment of USD 140 million this first government skill university of Eastern India will impart global quality skill education to our youth ensuring employability and industrial development the minister wrote on Twitter The ADB has approved a loan of USD 112 million to strengthen skill education and training through the establishment of the university An additional grant of USD one million is also being provided as technical assistance by the ADB according to the release The state government has allotted 250 bighas of land in Mangaldoi for the skill development institute and the construction work is expected to commence by early next year The project is likely to be completed by 2027 The process of designing and construction of the university has been initiated in consultation and alignment with ADBs policy and guidelines The vice-chancellor has also been appointed and the skill development institute will soon start operating from an interim campus As per the detailed project report nine schools have been proposed for the university that will cater to the needs of local entrepreneurs startups and micro small and medium enterprises for technology skill and businesses The Assam Skill University Act 2020 has already been passed by the state assembly the release added PTI DG BDC BDC

Guwahati Sep 29 PTI The Assam government will acquire the assets of the two closed mills of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd and provide a relief package of Rs 570 crore to its employees as per an agreement reached in the early hours of WednesdayThe discussion between the government and the unions of the two paper mills continued for over four hours at the office of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following which the agreement was signedFinally reached an agreement with the workers and employees of Hindustan Paper Corporation to resolve long pending issues of their salaries and dues Discussion lasted for over four hours in my office and concluded at 2 am Sarma tweetedCachar Paper Mill at Panchgram in Hailakandi district is non-functional since October 2015 while Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad in Morigaon district is shut since March 2017 Since the closure of the two mills 95 employees died including four allegedly taking their own lives primarily due to lack of proper treatment as they did not receive salaries or dues for the last 55 months according to the unionsThe agreement was signed by Sarma and Industries Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and representatives of the employees associationsAs per the agreement the Assam government will approach the National Company Law Tribunal NCLT through the official liquidator for taking over all the assets of the mills and the employees organisations will ensure that the houses premises buildings and other assets are smoothly handed over without any hindrances and is not disputed in the court of lawThe relief amount of Rs 570 crore will be given to the employees only after they vacate the property However on humanitarian grounds an extension of one month may be given to vacate the quartersThe state government will make efforts to disburse the relief package include employment within two months from the date of approval by NCLT as per the agreementThe state government will provide employment to 100 officers and workers according to their qualifications and equivalent to the pay scale in the state government through a special recruitment drive which will not take into consideration their upper age limit They will be provided with the due PF gratuity and pension but not the unpaid salaryThe government will also facilitate the employees who could not complete their services due to the closure of the mills to get employment on a priority basis in the industries on the land of the paper mills in the futureThe agreement took into consideration the unpaid provident fund PF contributions gratuity pension claims salaries and other dues from the date of non-payment to the date of commencement of the liquidation processThe state government will also provide a gratuitous relief to the cooperative contractual workers to ensure that they get minimum subsistence while LIC premium and home loan EMIs deducted from salary would be paid by the government following admission by the liquidatorThe state government will also take up with the Kendriya Vidyalaya KV Sangathan to convert the KVs located in the mill compounds from project to civil sector and help the wards of mill employees in these schools to get admission in any other KVs of their choiceAll employees who have already attained the age of 58 would be provided pensions through respective PF commissioners at Guwahati and Kolkata which was deducted from their salaries but not deposited as per the agreementThe state government will also provide permanent government jobs to doctors ANMs and other paramedical staff of the mills health establishments at the entry-level while teachers of schools in the mill compounds will be provided a relief to the extent of 24 months of salary PF gratuity and the pension which was deducted from their salariesWe are grateful that the precarious condition of the employees touched the heart of the chief minister and he decided to take the initiative to resolve the various issues and we are sure that the clauses of the agreement will be followed and implemented within the stipulated period said the Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions JACRU of the two millsThe BJP government had promised to revive the paper mills after Sarbananda Sonowal assumed power in 2016 and even during the campaigning for this years assembly polls the party had assured that steps will be taken regarding thisThe NCLT after several rounds of meetings between all stakeholders and a number of hearings had ordered the liquidator on April 26 to sell Hindustan Paper Corporation as per the decision of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal NCLATAccordingly liquidator Kuldeep Verma on June 1 had issued advertisements seeking bids for the e-auction of the company at a reserve price of Rs 1139 but there were no bidders till the last date on June 15Subsequently on June 22 a new auction notice for the sale of the two mills was issued by the liquidator at a reserve price of Rs 969 crore Rs 170 lower than the previous priceThe liquidator had also issued notices to 900 employees on September 3 asking them to vacate the accommodationquarters occupied within 15 days by handing vacant physical and peaceful possession to the liquidator failing which legal action will be taken for getting back vacant possession of the accommodationquartersThe notice which was later temporarily stayed was issued individually to all the occupants and also sent to all employees associations workers unions of the defunct paper mills PTI DG SOM SOM

Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 27 (ANI): A minister in Assam has claimed that that th Covid-19 was a creation of God's supercomputer, which decides who would get infected with the virus and who would die of the deadly disease.