Assam govt appoints sprinter Hima Das as DSP; amends integrated sports policy

On Wednesday, in a cabinet meeting chaired by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, a decision was taken to appoint World Championship sprinter Hima Das as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the state. The integrated sports policy of the state was also amended in the cabinet meeting, by appointing sportspersons as Class-I and Class-II officers in a different department of state like Police, Excise, Transport etc, government spokesman and Industry minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told PTI. 

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In the meeting, it was decided that Das will be appointed as a DSP rank officer in the Assam police and other medal winners in Asian Games, Commonwealth and Olympics will be appointed as Class-I officers. Hima Das, the 20-year-old sprinter is nicknamed as 'Dhing Express'. She became the first-ever athlete and first Indian woman to win a gold medal in any format of a global track event at IAAF World U20 Championships.

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The industry minister also informed about the other decisions taken in the cabinet meeting:

• To draft the cybersecurity policy for the state.
• To establish Bodoland and 6th Schedule areas Administrative Staff College.
• Proposal to provide free electricity to all households for the consumption of up to 30 units a month for the period of January 2021 to March 2021 was approved
• Ths Hills Areas Department will be renamed and will work as Assam Sixth Schedule Council Department.
• The Cabinet agreed to adopt energy conservation building code- providing for energy conservation in commercial buildings.
• The decision to allot land to different organisations, including the Gauhati Press Club.
•  A new campus of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra at Dibrugarh approved.
• Green signal was given to a proposal to provide service benefits to employees of Municipal Boards.
• The meeting also consented to establish mini secretariat in Barak Valley at Silchar 
• Council of Ministers agreed to rename the Public Works Department as Lok Nirman Bibhag.

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Amit Shah's Assam Visit

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah reached Guwahati on Thursday morning, ahead of Assembly polls. CM Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed home minister at LGBI Airport. Shah is expected to meet Ananta Rai, the 'Maharaj' of Koch-Rajbongshi who heads a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples' Association (GCPA) in Chirang district in lower Assam.

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(With PTI Inputs)