Assam: Key Cabinet Decisions For Schools, GST, 3-Year Tax Holiday on Agri Income

Assam cabinet on Friday decided to roll out Olympic Values Education Programme in 250 state-run schools and Private Schools across Guwahati city in association with Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT) for Rs 6 crore in 2024-27.

The cabinet claimed that this initiative will address the challenges of prevalent sedentary lifestyle, lack of concentration and adolescents dropping out of school.

An approval to signing of MoU with International Olympic Committee and Abhinav Bindra Foundation in this regard is awaited.

As per the recommendation of the GST Council, the cabinet has come up with a decision to promulgate the Assam Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023.

A state bench of GST Appellate Tribunal will be set up with headquarters at Guwahati, the state cabinet informed.

In celebration of 200 years of Assam’s Tea Industry, the cabinet has approved to issuing of notification under the Assam Agricultural Income Tax Act, 1939 for granting tax exemption on agricultural income for a period of 3 years with effect from April 1, 2023.

The Assam Right to Public Services (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 to be promulgated for amending sections 8A and 8B of the Assam Right to Public Services Act, 2012 to improve delivery of notified RTPS services and strengthen RTPS appeal mechanism.

Assam ESI Doctors’ Service Rules, 2000 to be amended for ensuring smooth administration of the Employees’ State Insurance Doctors Service of Assam.

The cabinet stated that the proposed amendment seeks to reduce minimum service period of Superintendent/Medical Officer in-charge (I/C) or equivalent post from 5 years to 2 years to be eligible for promotion as Administrative Medical Officer (AMO).

Notably, this is being done as all the earlier Superintendents/Medical Officers (I/C) had retired before fulfilling the required criteria for AMO, for which the office of ESIS, Assam has had no full-fledged AMO since 1964.

Further, the cabinet has decided to approve the framework of Digital Infrastructure for DBT Schemes (DIDS)’ platform, and subsequent rollout and adoption of the platform to streamline disbursal of welfare benefits to citizens.

An integrated Social Registry to be prepared initially with the database of Orunodoi along with NFSA schemes, including Aadhaar data.

Beneficiaries of other on-boarded schemes will also be added to the registry subsequently, the cabinet said.

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