Guwahati, March 11: The Assam Cabinet has approved the constitution of a development council for the Kiran Sheikh community in Barak Valley, state minister Jayanta Malla Baruah informed here.
“The Kiran Sheikh community has, for long, been demanding a development council. So, the Cabinet has decided to approve the formation of the Barak Valley Kiran Sheikh Development Council, which aligns with the formation of similar councils for other communities in the state,” the minister told mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting.
According to reports, the community is believed to have converted to Islam through the influence of Sufi saint Shah Jalal. It has a predominant presence along the banks of the Sonai and Barak rivers in Assam’s Barak Valley districts.
The Assam Cabinet also approved the introduction of the Meitei/ Manipuri Mayek script for education in the primary level in schools of the state.
“This will allow interested students to read Manipuri literature, pursue higher studies in Manipuri in Meitei/Mayek script. It will also enable candidates from Assam to apply for jobs in Manipur requiring mandatory knowledge of Meitei/Mayek,” the minister stated.
On the other hand, the Cabinet has decided to extend various incentives under the Assam Semiconductor Policy 2023 to Tata Group’s “Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test (TSAT). The decision has been made subsequent to the approval of the semiconductor unit in Assam by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The state Cabinet also authorised the industries, commerce and public enterprises department to make all payments as per eligibility of the units under the policy.
Among other key decisions, the state Cabinet approved allocation of Rs 131.71 crore for the beautification of the historic Rang Ghar in Sivasagar. The site proposed for the beautification project is Rupohi Pathar, on the north-western side of Rang Ghar on a plot measuring 83 bigha 2 katha.
The Cabinet also approved administrative funds for multiple projects, including a water supply scheme in Jorhat town, construction of a medical college and hospital in Karimganj, and an open stadium at Amingaon sports complex in Kamrup district.