Assam water resources minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday said that all establishments in the state will have to maintain an online registry for the workers employed by them.

This was among several major decisions taken during the state cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati which was chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Hazarika said that the concept of ‘revenue town’ in administration will be removed from now.

He said, “Today onwards, the system of a revenue town will be abolished from Assam. Only the designated municipal boards can become towns. Some regions that do not have a municipal board are governed under revenue towns.”

Regions like Silghat, Kaliabor, Chaparmukh, Dhupdhara, Krishnai, Panitola, and Joypur which do not have municipal boards and where municipal elections are not held, used to be governed under revenue towns, he said.

Hazarika added that as a result, if someone had to register lands to their names, they had to pay premiums at the level of towns, even though the facilities available to them were not at that level, causing problems for the people.

“As we have not been able to provide them with the facilities as there are no municipal boards or as elections are not held in these regions, people had to pay a premium at the level of towns to register lands to their names. Working according to the demands of the people, we have abolished the system of revenue towns,” Hazarika said.

The concept of peripheral area will also become non-existent for normal towns. In an amendment by the revenue department, only district headquarters will have peripheral areas, the minister informed.

People living in areas under gaon panchayats will not require trade licenses to open small businesses from now on, said Hazarika.

However, the rule will exempt establishments like both foreign and domestic liquor shops, private educational establishments, nursing homes, brick kilns, polluting industries and setting up mobile towers, who will require obtaining trade licenses, the minister informed.

In addition, building permissions will be required in gaon panchayat areas but it will be required under a development authority, he said.

In a major decision for workers, the cabinet decided that establishments will have to maintain an online registry of names of employees under them. They have to organise mandatory medical check-ups for employees aged above 40 years.

Appointment letters for employees will also be mandatory from now on with establishments employing more than 100 employees requiring setting up a safety committee, informed Hazarika during his address.

Further speaking, he announced that EVMs will be used in the GMC elections.

The state water minister also informed that due to excess expenditure, the budget has been increased from ₹200 crores to ₹2,000 crores.