Guwahati, Nov 16: The Assam Cabinet on Thursday approved the creation of the Khasi-Jaintia Development Council in the state, aimed at serving the interests and addressing the concerns of the Khasi and Jaintia communities living in the state, especially in the Barak Valley districts of southern Assam.
Addressing mediapersons here, state Cabinet minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the creation of the Khasi-Jaintia Development Council for the Khasi and Jaintia communities living in the state, particularly in the Barak Valley region and Dima Hasao district.
“The council will serve the interests of the Khasi-Jaintia communities living in the state and address their needs and concerns,” he said.
Among other key decisions, the state Cabinet has, in a bid to develop, regulate and supervise the standards and quality of school education, approved the formation of a new board — Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) by merging the Board of Secondary Education Assam (SEBA) and Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).
The Cabinet also gave its approval for the Assam Secondary Education (Government Schools) Service (2nd amendment) Rules 2023 and the Assam Secondary Education (Provincialised Schools) Service (2nd Amendment) rules, 2023 for streamlining the recruitment procedure of graduate and postgraduate teachers, including subject teachers in vocational subjects.
“The amended rules seek to maintain the pupil-teacher ratio, ensure optimum utilisation of manpower for effective academic support to students and prevent adverse effects on academic activities at the secondary level in provincialised and government schools,” the minister said.
In another key decision, it approved the proposal for allotment of land to 3,576 indigenous landless families of nine districts – Morigaon, Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Goalpara, Laklhimpur, Sonitpur, Darrang, Tinsukia and Dhemaji – under Mission Basundhara 2.0.
The minister further informed about the Cabinet’s decision to hold the budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly from February 5, 2024.