Assam hikes petrol-diesel prices:

Guwahati, April 21: Price hike of Petrol-Diesel in Assam. When the crude oil price in the international market went down, the Assam government has decided to hike the price of petrol and diesel in the state.

The new prices of petrol, diesel and other motor spirits will come into effect from April 22.

On Tuesday, the Assam Finance department has issued a notification and modified the rates of Assam Value Added Tax of diesel, petrol, and other motor spirits.

The government notification stated that price hike of Petrol-Diesel in Assam, Value Added Tax for diesel has fixed as 23.66 paise in the rupee or Rs 17.45 per liter, whichever is higher and the tax for petrol and other motor spirits as 32.66 paise in the rupee or Rs 22.63 per lire, whichever is higher.

On April 21, the petrol price in Guwahati is Rs 71.59 per liter and diesel price is Rs 65.05 per liter.

The decision has taken by the state government to meet financial exigencies of the state emerged due to the novel Coronavirus lockdown.

Lastly, Assam had increased Assam Value Added Tax on petrol and petrol in 2017.

Assam has reported 34 positive cases for COVID-19 so far and one patient hailing from Hailakandi district was died due to the dreaded virus.

A total of 19 COVID-19 patients of the state were released from the hospitals so far.

Assam CM interacts with Gaonburas and Tea Garden Sardars via audio conference:

Assam CM interacts with Gaonburas and Sardars.

Guwahati, April 21: Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday interacted with over 3500 Gaonburas (village headman) and Sardars of tea gardens through audio conference and urged them to play an active role in generating awareness among people on the importance of maintaining the norm of social distancing in their respective areas to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

The Assam Chief Minister appreciated the Gaonburas and line Sardars for their cooperation in making the nationwide lockdown successful in the State.

He also asked them to extend support and keep watch on the smooth distribution of essential commodities supplied by the State government among the poor and needy people.

While interacting with the Gaonburas, Sonowal informed that the State government has relaxed lockdown conditions for taking up farm activities as per guideline of the Central government provided the farmers strictly adhere to the norm of social distancing. He appealed the Gaonburas to ensure maintaining all health advisories and lockdown guidelines by the farmers along with other villagers of their respective areas.

He also called for their active role in the seamless distribution of essential goods and other government assistance among all poor people of the villages.

The Assam Chief Minister while talking to Sardars of the tea gardens reaffirmed the State government’s commitment to ensure well being of all tea garden workers.

“The State government allowed plucking of tea leaves engaging 50% workers as per the direction of the Central government. However, the garden workers would have to maintain the norm of social distancing and the Sardars must observe that government directives in this regard have adhered in toto,” Sonowal said.

He also urged the Sardars to ensure the use of masks by tea workers at their workplace and availability of adequate water and soap for regular handwashing in coordination with tea garden management and local administration. The Assam Chief Minister also appealed to the Sardars to see that all garden workers adequately receive government assistance and other facilities.

The Gaonburas and garden Sardars during interaction assured Sonowal to ensure complete compliance of lockdown norms and monitoring the smooth distribution of government aid and assistance in their respective areas.

Assam government to provide 5 kg rice to per member of per family who do not have ration cards under NFSA:

Guwahati, April 20: Assam government to provide rice to families. Intending to provide succor to the poor and destitute during the ongoing nationwide lockdown period, Assam government has decided to provide 5 kg rice per month to per member of per family who do not have ration cards under National Food Security Act (NFSA) despite being genuinely poor.

While reviewing preparedness of Kamrup district administration to deal with coronavirus pandemic in a meeting held at the conference room of Deputy Commissioner’s office at Amingaon Monday, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the state government will provide 5 kg rice per month to per member of per family who do not have ration cards under NFSA.

To take stock of availability of food grains in the state, the Assam Chief Minister visited the godowns of Food Corporation of India (FCI) located at Noonmati and Changsari as well as Changsari Railway Yard and held a meeting with FCI officials at Noonmati.

The FCI officials informed the Assam Chief Minister that the present stock available at FCI godowns could fulfill the food grain demand of people of the state for the next two and a half months.

Sonowal while chairing the review meeting at Kamrup Deputy Commissioner office asked the district administration, government departments and the public representatives to put up collective efforts to tide over the challenge posed by Coronavirus outbreak.

He directed the Agriculture and Veterinary department to work in close coordination with the Food and Civil Supply department to devise an innovative strategy to ensure a smooth supply of essential commodities.

He also asked the officials of the F&CS department to regularly interact with wholesalers to check price rise of essential goods.

Further stating that the government would not tolerate any misappropriation of public funds and food grains meant for the poor, the Assam Chief Minister asked the police to take prompt action against all unscrupulous elements.

He also directed the police to act swiftly against the misuse of social media so that no one can spread rumors and incite violence disturbing peace and harmony in society.

Sonowal directed the officials of the Agriculture department to see that farmers maintain the social distancing norms while carrying out farm activities.

He also asked them to regularly interact with farmers and motivate them to take up farming in an expeditious manner.

The Assam Chief Minister further advocating door to door delivery of vegetables, egg, fish and meat etc. instructed the Agriculture, Veterinary, Supply and Fishery department to prepare a roadmap and take the help of NSS, NYK and SHGs in this regard.

He also asked the Transport department to ensure proper hygiene of workers engaged in loading and unloading of goods at FCI godowns and provide them face masks.

Highlighting the role of public representatives at this hour of distress, the Chief Minister urged the MLAs present in the review meeting to guide the government machinery in maintaining an uninterrupted supply chain of essential commodities and bring to notice any anomaly observed by them in this regard for prompt corrective action.

Sonowal directed the Kamrup DC to regularly convene review meetings with all emergency departments in the presence of MLAs to give more teeth to the administration in its fight against coronavirus.

Assam police to file a case for not wearing a mask at public places, government offices to begin functioning from April 21:

Guwahati, April 20: Assam police to file a case for not wearing Masks at public places and to take stern action for not maintaining social distancing norms given the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Addressing a press conference held in Guwahati, Assam DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta on Monday said that, Assam police will not compromise with the enforcement of national lockdown guidelines.

“Assam police to file a case for not wearing Masks at public places. Besides the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, we will register the case under section 269 and 270 of IPC. Police will arrest the lockdown violators under various sections of IPC. I have already directed all district police to take stern action against the lockdown violator. We will also take stern action against those who will not maintain social distancing norms and spitting at public places,” Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said.

Assam police have arrested 1861 persons who violated lockdown rules and seized 15370 vehicles across the state so far.

Assam police have so far arrested 46 persons including an Assam legislator, security personnel across the state who spread fake information about Coronavirus on social media.

On the other hand, Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said that, all the government offices including the Assam secretariat will begin functioning from April 21 by following the directives of the government.

“All officials from the post of deputy secretary and above are to attend mandatorily in Assam secretariat and for directorates, the assistant director and above officials are to attend and assistant commissioner and above are to attend for other corporations. Only 33 percent of employees of third and fourth grade will be allowed to attend, for which the higher officials will make roosters,” Kumar Sanjay Krishna said.

He further said that, all government offices and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) will have to provide vehicles for the employees during the lockdown period.

The Assam Chief Secretary also said that, some relaxations have been made in different sectors following the directives of the government.

Government offices in Assam resume functioning amid lockdown:

Guwahati, April 21: Government offices in Assam to resume functioning. Amid the novel Coronavirus lockdown, all the government offices in Assam have resumed functioning from Tuesday with a 33 percent workforce.

The government offices including the Assam secretariat have started functioning by following all the orders given by the government.

According to the state government directive, all officials from the post of deputy secretary and above are to attend mandatorily in Assam secretariat and for directorates, the assistant director and above officials are to attend and assistant commissioner and above are to attend for other corporations.

Only 33 percent of employees of third and fourth grade will be allowed to attend, for which the higher officials will make roosters.

Adequate precautionary measures have been made in the Assam Secretariat and other government offices to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus.

For the employees of the Assam secretariat, the state government has provided transport facilities by arranging 16 buses.

Sushmita Kakati, Deputy Secretary of General Administration Department and Secretariat Administration Department said that, adequate precautionary measures have been taken in the entrance gate and each block of the Assam Secretariat.

“It is mandatory that, every employee has to wash their hands and we have provided hand sanitizers also. In front of every gate of each block of Assam secretariat, we are taking thermal temperature and the health officials have been deployed. We have provided sanitizers and hand wash to every department and employees sitting arrangement has been done such as they can maintain social distancing norms,” Sushmita Kakati said.

She also said that, 16 buses have been arranged in different routes for the employees and it is mandatory to wear a mask at the workplace.