Assam govt hikes 4% DA for employees, pensioners

Guwahati: The Assam government has decided to hike the dearness allowance by 4 per cent for its employees and pensioners on the occasion of Rongali Bihu in April, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

The increase in DA will be effective from January 1, and the arrears of the first three months will be paid in instalments in May, June and July respectively, Sarma said at a press conference here.

The DA hike will benefit around four lakh government employees and 3.5 lakh pensioners, he said.

The total DA payable to the employees will now be 50 per cent, and the 4 per cent increase in dearness allowance will involve a financial outlay of around Rs 1,175 crore, Sarma said.

The chief minister also announced that to realise the benefit of 'PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana', the state government will invest another Rs 300 crore to offer additional assistance of up to Rs 45,000 to each household.

''High electricity bill is a matter of concern for many but we found that 3,000 urban households with solar panels installed at their houses are extremely happy with the cost. We decided to replicate it across the state,'' he said.

A lower and middle-class family needs 2 KW of electricity on average and with a solar set-up of 3 KW, a household can sell the additional power to the government, Sarma said.

The cost of a 3-KW solar setup is Rs 1,50,000 with the central and state subsidy being Rs 78,000 and Rs 45,000 respectively.

Sarma said that the 'PM Surya Ghar' scheme to provide free electricity and also pave the way for additional income generation through rooftop solar power is revolutionary.

''The scheme is not only about installing rooftop solar panels but also ensures an employment generating ecosystem for manufacturing and skilled technicians,' he said.

Besides, the state government has made it mandatory for all government buildings constructed by the Public Works Department to have solar power, he said.

The Assam Secretariat will be the first green secretariat in the country by August 15 this year, he said.

''Assam is contributing in a big way in saving fossil fuels and solar panels are a foolproof plan to avoid power shortage'', he said.

The chief minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for North East's new industrial policy of the Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialisation Scheme (UNNATI), 2024.

The scheme has created an environment for industrialisation in Assam as was evident from the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Rs 27,000 crore semiconductor assembly and test facility at Morigaon on Wednesday, he said.

''We lack raw materials in the state and so we will focus on attracting two types of industries- electronics like phones, digital cameras among others and green power,' he said.

Sarma said an industrial conclave will be held in the state in November this year when more investments are expected to come in.

Assam is now preparing for the next generation of reforms and is the first among the states to bring accountability of employees as people can approach the Right to Public Service (RTPS) Commission.

If a government employee does not complete his or her work within the deadline, they will have to pay a fine, he added.

The chief minister said that the four sub-districts under Kamrup Metro will become functional from Friday, while those in other districts will become operational after the Lok Sabha polls.