Assam Cabinet nod for special recruitment drive for 35,000 SSA teachers; adjusts fines for 2 and 3-wheelers

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 27, 2024

In a major push for generating employment in the state, the Assam Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for generating 35,000 posts of teachers for recruitment of 35,000 teachers working under Sarva    Shiksha Abhijan (SSA) to bring them under the ambit of the government.

The jobs of 35,000 SSA teachers can’t be regularized by the state cabinet as its power has been snatched away by the Supreme Court.

“The state government will carry out a special recruitment drive for 35,000 SSA teachers to bring them under the ambit of the government. This will be done as the state government can’t regularize the post of SSA teachers,” Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters after the cabinet meeting in Nalbari on Thursday.

“The government has decided to generate 35,000 new posts to respite these teachers. By the Supreme Court’s directives in the Uma Devi case, the state government cannot regularize jobs. It is because this power of the cabinet has been curtailed by the Supreme Court, as a result of which, the government does not have the power to regularize anyone’s job,” the chief minister said.

After the recruitment of 35,000 teachers, the job of 35,000 teachers under the SSA will cease to exist,” he also said.

“SSA teachers will have to apply for special recruitment and their credentials will be verified, after which, they will be offered jobs,” he further said.

The chief minister added that the recruits will get NPS [National Pension Scheme], government pay scale, yearly increments and other benefits.

The cabinet further decided to lift all fines for document discrepancies on 2-wheeler riders except for a fine for not wearing helmets while there will be no file for 3-wheelers.

“Legal action will be followed for all other offences. Only fine collection is stopped. Autos and e-rickshaws will be fined only after repeated offences for the fifth time,” the chief minister said..

“For offences related to documents like insurance and pollution certificate lapses, time will be given for rectification. The transport department has been directed to issue a SOP to streamline the enforcement,” he said.

“The state government has earned less than Rs 6 crore from fines on vehicles in the last three fiscal years. But we have decided to lift all fines considering the sufferings of the poor people,” Sarma said.

 “This decision will benefit a large section of the society like students, gig workers, delivery partners, and public transport drivers among others by saving their hard-earned money,” he said.

In view of concerns received from various quarters on bidding high prices for settlement of markets/ bazaar/haats/Ghats etc and this resulting in a higher rate of collection from the traders & public, the Cabinet decided to cancel the tenders for all the markets/bazaars / haats / ghats etc. which were floated by the Zila Parishads, Anchalik Panchayats & Gaon Panchayats.

To ensure the safety and security of workers working under private placement agencies, the Cabinet accorded approval to the Assam Private Placement Agencies for Recruitment of Workers’ (Regulation) Rules, 2024

These rules will be in line with “The Private Placement Agencies for Recruitment of Workers (Regulation) Act, 2019” and will facilitate in maintaining a database of both workers and private placement agencies of the state.

To ensure clean and safe drinking water facilities in urban areas of Karimganj Town and Hailakandi Town, the Cabinet has accorded approval to Hailakandi Town Water Supply Scheme worth Rs 72.74 crore which will provide 135 litres per capita per day at consumers’ tap points to an estimated population of 60,425 by the year 2055.

An automated Water Treatment Plant with a design capacity of 12.66 MLD with Raw water withdrawal from Katakhal River 1.97 km from Treatment Plant is proposed.

Karimganj Town Water Supply Scheme worth Rs 81.18 crore which will provide 135 litres per capita per day at consumers’ tap points to an estimated population of 1,01,430 by 2055.

An automated Water Treatment Plant of design capacity 16 MLD with Raw water withdrawal from Longai River 0.25 km from the Treatment Plant is proposed.