Anyone Can Turn Their Vehicle into ‘Pool Car’: Assam Cabinet

The Assam Cabinet on Thursday during its weekly meeting in Jorhat approved that anyone can turn their vehicles into ‘pool cars’ without changing their license plates.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “You can turn your vehicle into a 'pool car' to carry passengers. There is no need to change the license plate for this.”

“Middle class people will benefit from it,” he added.

This means that anyone can provide rapido services with their own two-wheelers.

The cabinet further approved the following:

• Integration of Motorcycle Taxis: Assam Motor Vehicle Aggregator Rules, 2022 to be introduced with the following objectives:

  1. Allow integration of motorcycle taxis to the aggregators (including non-transport motorcycles)

  2. Regulate the business being conducted by such aggregators in Assam

  3. Enhance shared mobility in the city by encouraging vehicle pooling

• Expediting Developmental Schemes

1. Execution of new schemes under 6th Assam State Finance Commission by Dept of Housing & Urban Affairs through its Technical Cell, as recommended by Line Department PW(B)D

2. The proposal will ensure that the schemes of Town Hall and Harijan Colony is expedited

• 4-lane Flyover in Guwahati: Construction of 4-lane elevated corridor on GNB road near Dighalipukhuri towards Noonmati FCI Godown with 2-lane extended arm towards Rajgarh Road

1. Approximately 5 lakh people of Guwahati to be benefitted

2. Estimated to be completed within 3 years

3. Estimated project cost: Rs. 923 cr

• Regulating Cinema Business

1. Approval to re-fixing penalty for contravention of The Assam Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) Act, 2005 from the current 75,000 to 710,000

• Improving Civic Utility Services in Guwahati

1. Creation of Guwahati Utilities Co Ltd to augment civic utility services such as maintenance and provision of street lights, maintenance of roads and by-lanes, garbage collection, etc.

Engaging Young Professionals

1. To support district administration in efficient programme implementation, policy reforms, and improvement of Human Development Indicators, administrative approval accorded to Chief Minister's Young Professionals Programme (CMYPP) and Ex-post facto approval for MoU signed between IIM-Bangalore and Govt of Assam to conduct the Programme

2. CMYPP is a programme for immersion of young professionals from varied backgrounds at the grassroots level of society for 2 years to work with the district administration

   -Under the CMYPP, 2 Young Professionals (YPs) will be placed in each of the 35 districts in Assam, with a focus on three areas - Education, Health and Women & Child Development

   -An estimated budget of Rs. 232.22 cr is expected to be utilised for CMYPP in 3 years

3. CMYPP will strive to achieve significant improvement in the Human Development indicators and ensure that the growth process is more equitable and sustainable

• Smooth Conduct of Prosecution

1. Establishment of Directorate of Prosecution consisting of a Director of Prosecution and as many Deputy Directors of Prosecution

2. This will streamline functioning of Public Prosecutors, Additional Public Prosecutors, Special Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors and minimise the lapses during prosecution

• Strengthening Criminal Justice Delivery

1. Code of Criminal Procedure (Assam Amendment) Bill, 2022 to be tabled in the assembly

2. It proposes to amend certain provisions relating to establishment of a Directorate of Prosecution and also a Cadre of Prosecutors, i.e., Public Prosecutors, Addl. Public Prosecutors, Special Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors

• Boosting Power Sector

1. Procurement of an additional 206 MW from Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd at mutually agreed negotiated tariff as per Regulation 66 of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission T&C of Tariff 2019

CM Sarma further announced that the 2023 Commissioner's Conference will be held in Jorhat.