India News | Assam Cabinet Approves SOP for National Food Security Act

Guwahati, Aug 31 (PTI) The Assam Cabinet on Thursday approved the standard operating procedure (SOP) for allocation, lifting, transportation, distribution of commodities under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

This SOP is being introduced to streamline the Public Distribution System and ensure timely and transparent delivery of grains to NFSA beneficiaries, Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said.

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The council of ministers also decided to observe the ''Anna Seva Saptah' from 10-16 of each month to ensure completion of free rice delivery within that week, he said.

The meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, also approved the raising Rs 71.59 crore loan from NABARD for 54 irrigation projects across 21 districts, he said.

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The cabinet also approved the release of Rs 112.63 crore towards repayment of principal and interest for the financial year 2023-24 for implementation of rural electrification works by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), Baruah said.

The cabinet also revised the administrative approval of several projects including new building of Guwahati commissionerate of police amounting to Rs 110.98 crore, redevelopment of Assam police reserve campus in Guwahati to Rs 605.95 crore, development of Batadrava Than in Nagaon as a cultural tourist destination to Rs 114.22 crore, Lachit Maidam Memorial and Cultural complex in Jorhat to Rs 214.96 crore, freedom movement park at Jorhat jail to Rs 158.81 crore and construction of Alaboi Ron Smriti Kshetra in Kamrup to Rs 115.75 crore, the minister said. The cabinet also decided to relax the educational qualification of senior grade computer operators who are otherwise eligible for promotion to the post of junior administrative assistant in the state secretariat.

The council of ministers also approved the regulatory framework of the nursing, pharmacy and allied health science education sectors in the state to bring these up to all-India standards.

It was also decided to authorise the president/secretary of the Tai Ahom Welfare Society to identify persons belonging to the Ahom community for submission to the district commissioners concerned to assist in the issue of Other Backward Caste (OBC) certificates, the minister added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)