Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed a pre-festival spending push. The state cabinet met Thursday at Lok Sewa Bhawan to finalize the package. Relief is coming for families and workers.
Orunodoi scheme beneficiaries get a one-time payment of Rs 1,500 for October. This climbs above the standard Rs 1,250 monthly grant. Sarma noted the hike is tied strictly to the festival. He hinted at a potential repeat gift for Bihu in April. “This is only for the month of October and has been announced keeping Durga Puja in mind. In April we may announce something similar as a Bihu gift,” Sarma said.
Tea garden workers also see a pay bump. The state mandated a 20 per cent bonus for employees at Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL) gardens. Most gardens already followed suit. Statistics show 548 of 807 state tea gardens settled the 20 per cent rate independently. The government now pressures the remaining 259 gardens to match that figure.
Government employees gain an extra day off. October 17 is now a public holiday. The standard three-day Puja break would have shrunk due to a Sunday overlap. This move restores the schedule. The state holiday period now runs from October 17 through October 20.
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