Guwahati: In a bid to bolster educational infrastructure, the Assam Cabinet approved an allocation of Rs 455 crore for the construction of 100 schools across the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.
The cabinet met for the first time in the New Year, following an interaction between the chief minister and media persons.
The Council of Ministers also approved Rs 1,201.16 crore for the construction of a medical college centered around Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) along with the Kalapahar campus in Guwahati.
Thursday’s meeting marked the cabinet’s first sitting of the New Year, with officials saying the decisions reflect the government’s emphasis on health and education as priority sectors.
The state government has decided to procure a proton therapy machine worth Rs 500 crore for cancer treatment, a move that will make it the first state in the country to introduce the advanced technology in the public healthcare system.
Proton therapy is a highly precise form of radiological cancer treatment. The machine will be installed at the State Cancer Institute at Gauhati Medical College Hospital.
ALSO READ: Assam to be first state to constitute 8th Pay Commission after Centre: Himanta
CM Sarma said that Assam would become the first state in the country to constitute the 8th Pay Commission following its formation by the Centre.
He said the state’s 8th Pay Commission will be headed by former additional chief secretary Subhas Das and will undertake a comprehensive revision of the pay structure of state government employees.
