Assam Cabinet meet held in New Delhi approves financial aid to Asha workers

Asha worker will get Rs 2 lakhs as monetary compensation whereas Asha supervisor will get Rs 3 lakhs as compensation. All of them have to complete 10 years of service, said Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah after the meeting held in New Delhi.

New Delhi: The Assam Cabinet on Wednesday fixed 60 years as a retirement age for thousands of Asha volunteers, besides giving one-time financial assistance to them after their retirement for providing relentless service. The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi. It was the third cabinet meeting of the Assam government in the national capital.

"Asha worker will get Rs 2 lakh as monetary compensation whereas Asha supervisor will get Rs 3 lakh as compensation. All of them have to complete 10 years of service," said Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah after the meeting. Baruah also said that Asha workers can avail of 50 per cent of the monetary compensation if they want to take VRS before their superannuation.

The Cabinet meeting also decided to make reservations for five communities of Assam, including Moran, Motok, Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom and Chutia in the 24,000 IITs of the State. "Koch Rajbongshi will get 3.25 per cent (213), Tai Ahom 2.5 per cent (164), Chutia 2.25 per cent (147), Moran and Motok 2 per cent each (131)," Baruah added.

In a major push to promote the tourism potential of Assam, the Cabinet meeting also decided to make Guwahati-Jorhat and Jorhat-Guwahati non-Udan sectors by approving viability gap funding under the non-Udan scheme. "The viability gap funding will definitely give a push to the tourism sector of the State," said Baruah.

Significantly, to explore the sports potential of youths in Assam, the Cabinet also decided to launch Khel Maharan from November 1, which will continue till January 10. "Under the Khel Maharan youths will be promoted under four levels, including panchayat, district, constituency and state level," Baruah stated. The minister said that sports like athletics, football, volleyball, kabaddi, kho kho will be promoted during the programme.