Assam cabinet approves 5 Muslim communities as 'Indigenous'

DISPUR: Assam cabinet on Tuesday approved the identification of five Assamese Muslim sub-groups, Gorias, Moriyas, Jolhas, Deshis and Syeds as indigenous Assamese Muslim communities, tweeted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"At our weekly Assam Cabinet, we took several decisions pertaining to the scrapping of old vehicles, identification of 5 indigenous Muslim groups, exempting ex-servicemen & their widows from paying property tax, boosting renewable energy, and improving data access, etc," Sarma tweeted.

The move will ensure their development in health, cultural identity, education, financial inclusion, skill development and women empowerment, added the chief minister.

Assam Cabinet also took several decisions pertaining to the scrapping of old vehicles, exempting ex-servicemen and their widows from paying property tax, boosting renewable energy, improving data access, etc.

The Assam Cabinet decided to exempt ex-servicemen and their widows from paying property tax as a gesture of gratitude for their service to the nation.

Bills to amend the Assam Municipal Act, 1956 and Guwahati Municipal Corporation Act, 1969 will be tabled in the state assembly to exempt ex-servicemen/widows from paying property tax as a gratitude for their service to the nation, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said while briefing the media after the meeting.

The cabinet also approved the collaboration between the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) under SIDBI and the Assam government for providing additional guarantee coverage for loans given by lending institutions to Micro and Small units in Assam and the creation of a Corpus Fund of Rs 100 crore with 80 per cent from CGTMSE and 20 per cent from Assam government.

The cabinet also authorised the Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) Ltd to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with SIDBI.

The creation of a venture capital fund worth Rs 200 crore via an MOU to be signed between SIDBI and AIDC Limited was approved by the cabinet.

It also decided in the meeting to pay a one-time scholarship of Rs 16,000 to each student who has passed the state Class 10 board examination in the first division.

Assam State Data Policy 2022 to improve data access, data use and ensure efficient delivery of services was also approved by the Cabinet.

The Assam Renewable Energy Policy, 2022 was also approved to create an ecosystem to propel the growth of Renewable Energy in the power sector and this aims to install an aggregate of 1,200 MW within five years.

The cabinet also approved the Vehicle Scrappage Policy of Assam, 2022 to ensure proper dismantling and scrapping of end-of-life vehicles to reduce vehicular pollution by phasing out unfit and polluting vehicles.