In anticipation of the Durga Puja festivities, the Assam government has granted a 20% bonus for employees working at tea gardens run by the Assam Tea Corporation, providing much-needed financial respite. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting on September 22, when Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized the government’s emphasis on helping the state’s tea industry workers throughout the holiday season. Workers in tea gardens, who are an important component of Assam’s economy and have been demanding improved pay and working conditions in recent years, will greatly benefit from the bonus. The cabinet approved the construction of the state’s 10th police battalion in Sonapur, close to Guwahati, among other important decisions. This expenditure of Rs 260 crore marked a huge expansion of Assam’s security infrastructure.
The state’s police force structure has been progressively growing to handle security issues in the northeastern area, and the new battalion marks a significant contribution. Additionally, the government gave the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra Society permission to run Guwahati’s 5,000-seat Jyoti Bishnu Auditorium, handing over control of the cultural center to the group tasked with conserving Assamese culture. Furthermore, the cabinet approved better pay packages, better leave benefits, and the establishment of an annual performance review system for the 65 Science and Mathematics Facilitators employed by the Assam Science, Technology, and Environment Council.