GUWAHATI: The state cabinet on Thursday decided to grant benefit of PM-KiSAN to all farmers having annual patta (eksonia patta), touji patta, farmers cultivating in debottar land, farmers eligible to get land patta under Forest Rights Act, small tea growers and horticulture farmers.
PM Kisan is a Central sector scheme with 100% funding from the Union government, which has become operational from December 1, 2018.
Under the scheme an income support of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments will be provided to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of upto 2 hectares.
The decision was taken two days after Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said the Centre has to recover Rs 2,992.75 crore as of July 15 from 42.16 lakh ineligible beneficiary farmers registered for the central scheme. Of this Rs 554.01 crore, the highest is to be recovered from 8.35 lakh ineligible farmers in Assam, Tomar told Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
In a statement, Bobbeeta Sharma, chairperson, media department, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), said that the party had earlier raised questions on irregularities in the selection of farmers for the scheme, but it was rejected by the then BJP government’s chief minister and finance minister, and others. “Is it not now apparent, following the statement by the Union agriculture minister that these irregularities point to corruption within the government?” the party asked.
The meeting of the state cabinet chaired by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma approved the creation of a new department named “indigenous and tribal faith & culture department”. Three directorates will function under the department which includes- directorate of archaeology, directorate of museum and directorate of historical and antiquarian studies.
The cabinet approved appointment of former MP and Union minister Rajen Gohain as chairman of Food & Civil Supply Corporation Ltd. under food and civil supplies & consumer affairs department in the rank of cabinet minister.
The cabinet approved the appointment of Nani Gopal Mahanta as advisor of the education department in the rank of minister of state.
The cabinet also decided to constitute several committees to ensure quality education at grassroots level involving panchayati raj institutions.
District Level Vigilance & Monitoring Committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of Zila Parishad president while Block Level Vigilance & Monitoring Committee will be formed under the chairmanship of Anchalik Panchayat.
The cabinet decided to authorise deputy commissioners to make allotment for extraction of silt from the river basin in respective districts. However, existing rules of the environment & forest department will prevail in case of extraction of sand and stones from rivers.
The cabinet also approved the formation of several financial committees for administrative reforms.
Departmental Finance Committee was constituted for sanctioning of projects upto Rs. 2 crore. The committee will hold its meeting every Monday.
Standing Finance Committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary for sanctioning of projects from Rs. 2 to 10 crores. The committee will hold its meeting every Tuesday.
Special Standing Finance Committee under the chairmanship of Finance Minister for appraisal of projects worth Rs. 10 to 100 crores. The committee will forward projects for approval of the chief minister after appraisal. The committee will hold its meeting every Thursday.
For financial sanction of projects above Rs. 100 crores, the department will place the projects directly at the cabinet.
The cabinet further approved the framework for decentralization of power for speedy implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission. Under this, deputy commissioners are authorised to utilise funds upto Rs. 10 crore with the approval of in-charge minister of the district.
The cabinet also decided to constitute a standing committee under the chairmanship of the deputy commissioner to deal with all issues related to implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the concerned districts.
