Assam government changes state academic session

Due to COVID-19 pandemic Assam government changes state academic session

Guwahati, June 29: In view of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, the Assam government on Monday decided to extend the current academic session up to March 31, 2021.

During a meeting of Assam cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal decided that the new academic session in the state will start from April next year.

Assam government spokesperson and state Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the academic session in Assam starts from January to December, but due to COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, the Assam cabinet decided to extend it up to March 2021.

“The new academic session will be started from April, 2021. With disruptions due to COVID19, the CoM has decided to change the academic year of schools from January and ends in December to April-March,” Chandra Mohan Patowary said.

The Assam minister also said that, in a major decision to boost Aatma Nirbhar Assam, the state cabinet has passed the MSME Ordinance which puts an end to the process of taking multiple permissions for setting up MSMEs in the state for next 3 years.

“Paving the way for new investments, employment and trade, the state cabinet has allocated 200 bighas of Ashok Paper Mill at Jogighopa for India’s first International Multi-Modal Logistic Hub. The state cabinet has approved a loan of Rs 338.28 crore from NABARD for development works in various sectors. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the state cabinet has also passed an ordinance for extension of dates of GST return. The cabinet has also approved 15th Finance Commission Grant ratio as 70 per cent for Gaon Panchayat, 15 per cent for Anchalik Panchayat and 15 per cent for Zila Parishad,” Patowary said.

He further said that the other decisions taken by the state cabinet are – reduction in Earnest Money Deposits (EMDs) for mines auction to 0.5% for general category and 0.25% for SCs/STs, from now onwards, employees of Assam Bhawans will be transferable.

The Assam cabinet also amended the Assam College Employees Provincialisation Act 2005 to enable retired employees to receive a pension in return of their CPF and the Bengal-Agra-Assam Civil Court Act 1887 by which financial limit of cases has been increased in lower courts from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh.