Guwahati

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). 

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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

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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. 

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“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. 

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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."

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(With inputs from agencies)

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