In an unprecedented move, the Assam government has decided to withdraw cases against members of the Koch-Rajbongshi community which are pending in the Foreigners Tribunals. At least 28,000 people stand to benefit from this move.
The Assam government will also consider removing "D voter (doubtful voter)" tags against their names in the voters' lists.
The decision was taken at the state cabinet meeting today.
After the meeting, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that 28,000 cases are pending in the Foreigners Tribunals across the state.
Many of these involve people whose surnames are commonly found among the Koch-Rajbongshi community.
These individuals had to fight legal battles to prove their Indian citizenship, in some cases for years.
The state government plans to remove the D-voter tag from the affected people, Mr Sarma said.
Dearness Allowance Hike
The Assam government approved a 2 per cent hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners. The arrears for April and May will be disbursed accordingly.
Flood Control
To strengthen embankment monitoring, the state government will set up a force comprising young people, with each unit consisting of 12-15 volunteers. The state government will equip them with essential flood-fighting material including geo bags, torchlight, raincoat, and gumboot.
The volunteers will oversee embankments spanning 8 to 12 km from April to October. On successful completion of their service, the Chief Minister will award them certificates.
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