Assam Cabinet Approves Enhanced Representation for Moran and Matak Communities

The Assam Cabinet has approved an amendment to the Moran Autonomous Council Act, 2020, and the Matak Autonomous Council Act, 2020, aimed at enhancing representation for the Moran and Matak communities. The key changes include:

• Increase in Constituencies: The number of constituencies in both the Moran and Matak Autonomous Councils will be raised from 22 to 27, with the amendment to be presented to the Assam Legislative Assembly.

• Council Composition: Post-amendment, each General Council will comprise 30 members. Out of these, 27 will be directly elected, while 3 members will be nominated by the Government, in concurrence with the Autonomous Councils, from among communities residing in the Council areas but not otherwise represented in the General Council.

• Seat Reservations:

  • 22 seats in each Council will be reserved for the Moran and Matak communities, respectively.

  • 4 seats in each Council will be reserved for women.

  • 1 seat in each Council will be reserved for the general community.

Assam Cabinet Approves Key Measures for Education, Bodo Accord, and Technical Institutions

Streamlining Availability of Teachers
The Assam Cabinet has approved amendments to The Assam Secondary Education (Provincialised Schools) Service (Third Amendment) Rules, 2024, and The Assam Secondary Education (Government Schools) Service (Third Amendment) Rules, 2024. These changes are aimed at regulating service conditions and facilitating the recruitment of Graduate Teachers (Mathematics) in both provincialized and government schools. The decision will introduce 1,766 Graduate Teachers in Mathematics across Assam, aiming to enhance the quality of mathematics education for secondary students.

Honouring Bodo Accord, 2020
In line with the Bodo Accord of 2020, the Cabinet has approved the inclusion of 19 villages into the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). These villages will be transferred from Biswanath and Sonitpur Districts to Udalguri District within the BTR framework.

Boosting Manpower for Engineering Colleges and Polytechnics
To support the effective operation of 2 Engineering Colleges and 11 Polytechnics in the state, the Cabinet has approved the recruitment of 221 Grade IV staff positions on a contractual basis. This move aims to ensure smooth functioning and enhanced manpower in these technical institutions.

Assam Cabinet's Relief Measures for Small Traders

The Assam Cabinet has approved relief measures for small traders affected by GST-related notices issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Taxes. The Cabinet accepted the report of a sub-committee formed to address these issues, outlining the following key directions:

·         Rectification of Cases: For the financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19, 10,484 and 15,529 cases respectively, identified with questionable algorithms and parameters, will be subject to Suo moto rectification under Section 161 of the Assam GST Act, 2017. This process will be undertaken on a case-by-case basis within the next three months.

·         Handling New Cases: Notices for the years 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22, generated using Big Data Analytics Software (BDAS), will be processed according to the guidelines of a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Notices will be issued only for cases with a threshold exceeding ₹5 lakh.

·         Resolution Timeline: The Cabinet aims to resolve these issues within three months, ensuring fair treatment of taxpayers and compliance with the GST framework without causing undue harassment to traders.

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