The chief minister of the Indian state of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Sunday (Jan 26), announced the development of a second capital. Sarma said that the Dibrugarh city of Assam will be the second capital of the state within the next three years.&nbsp;
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The CM said in a statement on Republic Day that the Assam assembly will be shifted to Dibrugarh, which is based on the banks of the Brahmaputra river.&nbsp; &nbsp; "Today is an important day in Dibrugarh's journey to become the second capital of Assam. For the first time, state celebrations are taking place in this historical city," Sarma said in his address.&nbsp;
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He further added that from the year 2027, one session of the state's assembly will take place in its second capital every year. "From January 25 next year, the construction work for a permanent building of the Assam assembly will begin. In the next three years, Dibrugarh will become an important city in India," Sarma added.&nbsp;
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He further added that along with Dibrugarh, two other cities&mdash;Tezpur and Silchar&mdash;will also be developed in the coming period.&nbsp;
"Dibrugarh will be the second capital of Assam in the next three years. We will construct a Raj Bhawan in Tezpur and develop it as the cultural capital of Assam. Silchar will have a secretariat and chief secretary's office, thereby bridging the gap between Barak Valley and Guwahati," the chief minister said.&nbsp;
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(With inputs from agencies)
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India News | The Chief Minister of the Indian state of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Sunday (Jan 26), announced the development of a second capital. 

The chief minister of the Indian state of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Sunday (Jan 26), announced the development of a second capital. Sarma said that the Dibrugarh city of Assam will be the second capital of the state within the next three years. Also read: Assam coal mine tragedy: Body of four workers retrieved as rescue ops continue The CM said in a statement on Republic Day that the Assam assembly will be shifted to Dibrugarh, which is based on the banks of the Brahmaputra river. "Today is an important day in Dibrugarh's journey to become the second capital of Assam. For the first time, state celebrations are taking place in this historical city," Sarma said in his address. Also read: Meet MULE, Indian Army's robotic dog that steels show at Republic Day Parade He further added that from the year 2027, one session of the state's assembly will take place in its second capital every year. "From January 25 next year, the construction work for a permanent building of the Assam assembly will begin. In the next three years, Dibrugarh will become an important city in India," Sarma added. Also read: Watch: Over 3,000 engineers line up for job interviews in India's Pune, video goes viral He further added that along with Dibrugarh, two other cities—Tezpur and Silchar—will also be developed in the coming period. "Dibrugarh will be the second capital of Assam in the next three years. We will construct a Raj Bhawan in Tezpur and develop it as the cultural capital of Assam. Silchar will have a secretariat and chief secretary's office, thereby bridging the gap between Barak Valley and Guwahati," the chief minister said. Also read: India celebrates its 76th Republic Day. A look at all the updates (With inputs from agencies)

India: Assam is developing its second capital in THIS city

In what comes as an intriguing decision, 300 police officers in the Indian northeastern state of Assam have been offered voluntary retirement for being 'habitual drinkers'. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed about the decision on Sunday (April 30).&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters, Sarma said,&nbsp;“About 300 officers and jawans are habitual drinkers, and consumption of too much alcohol has damaged their bodies."

"The government has a provision for a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for them. It is an old rule, but we had not implemented it earlier,” he added.&nbsp;

<h2>Vacancies to be filled</h2>

The CM informed that the process had been initiated to bring new recruits to fill the vacancies. He added that the government was currently working on decentralisation of governance.

Reportedly, a motion has been set to open offices with power that previously rested with&nbsp;the deputy commissioners’ office in all 126 legislative assembly constituency areas of the state.&nbsp;

“We are trying to ensure people don’t have to travel to the district headquarters for work at the DC’s office, and that the DC’s office is available in every LAC area," said Sarma.&nbsp; 
 
“The DCs will look after law and order, and they will be given different responsibilities."

<h2>Sarma as the state CM</h2>

Sarma has been one of the biggest firebrand leaders of the BJP. He was a Congress leader till 2015 before switching lanes and joining BJP. Having served under former CM Sarbananda Sonowal,&nbsp;Sarma managed to pip him for the top state position after the 2021 assembly elections.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;India: G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, UN Resident Coordinator attend Model G20 discussion

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-g20-sherpa-amitabh-kant-un-resident-coordinator-attend-model-g20-discussion-563162/embed" width="560"></iframe>

Since then, he has managed to steer the northeastern state, which usually used to be on the periphery of New Delhi's politics, into the mainstream.&nbsp;

Earlier this month,&nbsp;Sarma spearheaded the border pact which ended&nbsp;a 50-year-old dispute with the neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh. In&nbsp;the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the pact was signed which brings settlement to 123 villages located along areas the two northeastern states share.

Sarma termed the signing of the MoU as historic and said the deal would be a harbinger of peace and prosperity. He said after 51 years, one of India's longest-running inter-state disputes comes to a decisive end&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Shah added, "It is a big moment for the entire northeastern region which has been witnessing all-round development ever since the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-child-marriage-crackdown-in-indias-assam-what-really-happened-563186">ALSO READ |&nbsp;EXPLAINED | Crackdown on child marriage in India's Assam: What really happened?</a>

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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In what comes as an intriguing decision, 300 police officers in the Indian northeastern state of Assam have been offered voluntary retirement for being 'habitual drinkers'.

In what comes as an intriguing decision, 300 police officers in the Indian northeastern state of Assam have been offered voluntary retirement for being 'habitual drinkers'. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed about the decision on Sunday (April 30). Speaking to reporters, Sarma said, “About 300 officers and jawans are habitual drinkers, and consumption of too much alcohol has damaged their bodies." "The government has a provision for a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for them. It is an old rule, but we had not implemented it earlier,” he added. Vacancies to be filled The CM informed that the process had been initiated to bring new recruits to fill the vacancies. He added that the government was currently working on decentralisation of governance. Reportedly, a motion has been set to open offices with power that previously rested with the deputy commissioners’ office in all 126 legislative assembly constituency areas of the state. “We are trying to ensure people don’t have to travel to the district headquarters for work at the DC’s office, and that the DC’s office is available in every LAC area," said Sarma. “The DCs will look after law and order, and they will be given different responsibilities." Sarma as the state CM Sarma has been one of the biggest firebrand leaders of the BJP. He was a Congress leader till 2015 before switching lanes and joining BJP. Having served under former CM Sarbananda Sonowal, Sarma managed to pip him for the top state position after the 2021 assembly elections. ALSO WATCH | India: G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, UN Resident Coordinator attend Model G20 discussion Since then, he has managed to steer the northeastern state, which usually used to be on the periphery of New Delhi's politics, into the mainstream. Earlier this month, Sarma spearheaded the border pact which ended a 50-year-old dispute with the neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh. In the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the pact was signed which brings settlement to 123 villages located along areas the two northeastern states share. Sarma termed the signing of the MoU as historic and said the deal would be a harbinger of peace and prosperity. He said after 51 years, one of India's longest-running inter-state disputes comes to a decisive end Meanwhile, Shah added, "It is a big moment for the entire northeastern region which has been witnessing all-round development ever since the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014." ALSO READ | EXPLAINED | Crackdown on child marriage in India's Assam: What really happened? (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Assam govt offers voluntary retirement to 300 police officers for being ‘habitual drinkers’

Assam health minister Hemanta Biswa Sharma, who found himself in the centre of a storm for his tweet &#39;cancer divine justice for our sins&#39;, said on Thursday that he was being &quot;quoted out of context&quot; and offered an unconditional apology for his remarks.

&quot;My speech on divine justice and Karmic deficiency is being quoted out of context. In their bid to trivialize and sensationalise, no one is looking at content of my whole speech and intent,&quot; Himanta Biswa Sarma told ANI.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/assam-health-minister-cancer-divine-justice-quote-meant-to-motivate-teachers-24940">He reiterated that he had made the remarks</a> so that teachers did not neglect poor students of government schools and so that district education officers did not &quot;harass teachers&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/assam-health-minister-cancer-divine-justice-quote-meant-to-motivate-teachers-24940" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;&#39;Cancer divine justice for our sins&#39; quote was meant to motivate,&nbsp;Assam health minister clarifies</a>

&quot;It was said in the context of helping poor students of Government schools and request to teachers not to neglect them. It was also a message to indicate district education officers not to harass teachers.&quot;

&quot;At no point my statement was intended to cause any pain to cancer patients. However, if owing to the blatant distortions, it has caused any anxiety and problems to anyone, I hereby offer my unconditional apology for the pain,&quot; the Assam health minister said. 
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Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated that he had made the remark so that teachers did not neglect poor students of government schools and so that district education officers did not 'harrass teachers'

Assam health minister Hemanta Biswa Sharma, who found himself in the centre of a storm for his tweet 'cancer divine justice for our sins', said on Thursday that he was being "quoted out of context" and offered an unconditional apology for his remarks. "My speech on divine justice and Karmic deficiency is being quoted out of context. In their bid to trivialize and sensationalise, no one is looking at content of my whole speech and intent," Himanta Biswa Sarma told ANI. He reiterated that he had made the remarks so that teachers did not neglect poor students of government schools and so that district education officers did not "harass teachers". Also read: 'Cancer divine justice for our sins' quote was meant to motivate, Assam health minister clarifies "It was said in the context of helping poor students of Government schools and request to teachers not to neglect them. It was also a message to indicate district education officers not to harass teachers." "At no point my statement was intended to cause any pain to cancer patients. However, if owing to the blatant distortions, it has caused any anxiety and problems to anyone, I hereby offer my unconditional apology for the pain," the Assam health minister said.

'Cancer divine justice' quote: Assam health minister finally makes unconditional apology