North East Rising

Assam, Dec 31: To the huge relief to vehicle owners, the Assam government has extended the validity of the vehicle documents, which include driving licenses, registration certificates, permits, fitness certificates, and Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).

The validity of vehicle documents has been extended till March 31, 2021. Meanwhile, the District Transport Office has already prepared to start checking for pollution certificates from the next year.

“We have already asked about the pollution testing centres to prepare themselves. Vehicles whose certificates have expired will have to get a new one at the earliest,” R. Islam, DTO (Permit) of Kamrup (M) informed G Plus earlier.

As per the transport department, currently 38 permanent, as well as mobile testing centres, are active in Guwahati where citizens can get their vehicles checked.

Assam, Dec 31: Assam Government capped RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Test rates at Rs 1200 and 500 respectively in view of a sharp fall in prices of testing equipment which is readily available in the market.

The health department’s notification has brought relief to people as they will now have to pay half the rate as the earlier rate up to Rs 3500-4500 and some even charged Rs 6500.

The latest order issued by the principal secretary to the state health department, Samir K Sinha in a statement said that the maximum rates chargeable for testing RT-PCR test samples which are collected at the labs and hospitals including test cost, PPE kit, and other related charges have been notified to be Rs 100 but Rs 200 extra could be charged if the RT-PCR test sample is collected from home.

The order further said “all laboratories have to follow the guidelines issued by the ICMR from time to time. All hospitals/institutions/laboratories are instructed to display the revised tariffs prominently and strictly comply with the orders. Non-compliance shall attract action as per the provisions of the law.”

Assam, Dec 30: The Gauhati University (GU) has decided to open its residential hostels for new students from January.

This university’s decision comes in violation of the Assam education department’s newly issued standard operation procedure, which clearly prohibits the reopening of residential hostels in the state.

According to sources, the university has invited online applications from newly-enrolled students for hostel accommodation in the current academic year.

“We have invited online application for hostel accommodation from first semester students enrolled in different bachelors and postgraduate courses in the university,” said a source in the university.

Gauhati University authority said that the university hostels have already been functioning for the final year students and all Covid-19 protocols are being followed.

The university administration said that it is willing to reopen all its 23 hostels since normalcy has gradually returned to the state.

A considerable number of students, who have been attending regular classes in the university, have been forced to live as paying-guests or in rented accommodations.

They had to find alternate accommodation facilities as the university hostels have remained shut since the country-wide lockdown imposed in March.

The state education department is yet to decide on the reopening of colleges affiliated with the GU.

There is a need to reopen hostels as many students reside in places with poor internet connectivity and hence, have difficulty in accessing online classes being conducted by colleges and universities.

The absence of private and public hostel facilities is adversely affecting in conducting regular classes in educational institutions of the state.

Assam, Dec 30: The Assam assembly on Wednesday passed a bill to abolish all state-run Madrasas by converting them to general schools amid a walkout by the opposition when their demand for sending the legislation to the Select Committee was rejected.

After Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma turned down the request of the Congress and the AIUDF members to send The Assam Repealing Bill, 2020 to a Select Committee to have a “proper discussion” on the issue, Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami placed the Bill for a voice vote.

After witnessing a noisy scene, the Bill was passed with a majority. Members of all alliance partners of the BJP the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) — supported the government move.

The Bill proposes to abolish two existing acts — The Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation) Act, 1995 and The Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018.

“I feel this is going to be a gift to the minority community. The students studying in those madrasas will hail the decision after 10 years,” Sarma said, replying to the opposition members’ objections.

As per the Bill, all madrasas will be converted to upper primary, high, and higher secondary schools with effect from April 1 next the year with no change of status, pay, allowances, and service conditions of the teaching and non-teaching staff.

The three-day winter session of the Assam assembly commenced on Monday, following Covid-19 protocols. Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he will introduce a bill to repeal the provincial station of Madrassas.

According to reports, around 12 government bills — including ‘The Assam Repealing Bill, 2020’ (repeal provisions of Madrassa and Sanskrit Tolls in the state), Assam Education (Provincialisation of Services of Non-Teaching Staff of Venture Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Moran Autonomous Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Matak Autonomous Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Kamatapur Autonomous Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Bodo Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council Bill, 2020, The Assam Micro Finance Institutions (Regulation of Money Lending) Bill, 2020 — are likely to be tabled in the winter session of the state assembly.