Assam govt stops subsidised power to ministers, officers

GUWAHATI: Ministers and senior government officers in Assam will no longer have any access to subsidised electricity.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said he had instructed the Power Department to install prepaid meters at every government quarters, including that of ministers and officers.

He said he was informed for the first time during his recent interactions with officials from the department that a very nominal monthly power bill is deducted from the salaries of ministers and senior officers.

“Immediately, I instructed the department to install individual prepaid meters in every government quarters, including residences in the ministerial colony,” stressed Sarma.

He said this measure was aimed at ensuring that no subsidised power is enjoyed by ministers, officers or government employees.

Sarma said that the state cabinet, which met on Saturday, took a landmark decision to end the practice of magical healing.

The cabinet approved a bill to provide relief to victims of magical healing in the name of treatment. Under the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, any person found guilty of committing the illegal act in the name of treatment/magical healing will be punished with imprisonment and a fine.

“The proposed bill seeks to prohibit and eliminate the practices of magical healing in the name of treatment of some congenital diseases like deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformities, autism, etc,” said Sarma.

He also added that this bill will prohibit such healing sessions completely and provide strong punitive action against “healers” extorting the poor and downtrodden people in the name of treatment.