Fulfilling one of its major poll promises, the first Cabinet of the BJP-led Government in Assam on Monday decided to upgrade Majuli river island from a sub-division to a full-fledged district and inaugurate it before August 31 this year.
located in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra river and mainly inhabited by Mising community people, Majuli Island covers an area of about 352 square kilometres now. Heavily affected by annual floods and erosion, the river island had lost more than almost two-thirds of its landmass over the years.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal adopted Majuli as his home last year and chose to contest the recently concluded Assembly elections from the Island constituency and won it by a thumping majority. The BJP accorded top priority to the development of the Island and said that it will be upgraded to a district if the party comes to power. The BJP-led Central Government had also laid down foundation stone of a bridge over the mighty river to connect Majuli from Jorhat and lakhimpur District, ahead of the polls.
"The first Cabinet meeting of the Government also decided to create a Special Task Force with 112 members to protect and safeguard the one-horned rhinos," said Assam Minister for Excise and PWD, Parimal Suklabaidya, after emerging out of the Cabinet meeting. He said that the Central Government will help the State create the Special Task Force.
"The Cabinet has also decided to appoint 10,000 TET-qualified teachers in different schools of the State before March 31next year. Moreover, decks have also been cleared to appoint seven hundred new doctors in Government-run hospitals," he added.
"The Cabinet approved constitution of District Mineral Foundation under the Chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner in each district. This foundation will be funded from fees to be paid by the mining lease holders as per Government of India norms. This fund will be used for relief and rehabilitation of those affected by mining activities," he said, adding that new Government in the State will prepare "one hundred-day action plan" focusing on good governance and ensuring extensive public participation in governance.
He said that the Cabinet has also decided to preserve the house of martyr of India's freedom movement Swahid Kushal Konwar at Sarupathar and convert it to a Heritage Building. "Similarly steps will be taken to develop the house of music maestro Bhupen Hazarika at Kuthari in Nagaon District as a unique and prized memorial to the cultural doyen and to preserve the memory of doyen of Assamese Mobile Theatre late Achyut lahkjar in his village," he said.