Guwahati, Jan 8: The Assam Cabinet has decided to recommend the Union home ministry to grant constitutional status to three autonomous councils in the state, namely the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, Mising Autonomous Council and Tiwa Autonomous Council.
The decision was taken during the Cabinet meeting here on Sunday evening.
Constitutional status to these councils would empower them to have enhanced financial powers for taking up developmental activities related to the Scheduled Tribe population residing in the council areas.
It may be recalled that during a meeting back in 2019, the state Cabinet had resolved that all tribal autonomous councils, namely Mising, Rabha, Sonowal Kachari, Thengal Kachari, Deori and Tiwa, might be granted constitutional status for furthering growth and grant of rights and privileges.
In another key decision, the Cabinet on Sunday decided to reserve 30 percent seats for candidates belonging to tea tribes and Adivasi community on merit basis as a one-time consideration in the recruitment of contractual staff in the programme management unit (PMU) to be set up under the tea tribes and Adivasi welfare department.
The Cabinet also approved amendment of Rule 4 of the Assam Food Security Rules, 2022 as part of the government’s efforts to provide free rice to underprivileged households.
The proposed amendment will allow inclusion of state government muster roll employees, retired Grade IV employees of central and state governments and contractual employees with annual family income of less than 4 lakh under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA, 2013).
Moreover, in order to assist rural women entrepreneurs, the Cabinet approved the guidelines for the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan for promotion of members of self-help groups (SHGs) as rural women entrepreneurs.The scheme will be implemented by the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM) society under the panchayat and rural development department.=