<p>Guwahati: The Assam government on Saturday gave its nod to a bill to prohibit and eliminate practices of "magical healing" in the name of treatment, proposing strong punitive action against the "healers".</p><p>The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.</p><p>Sharing the decisions taken at the meeting on X, Sarma said the cabinet also selected 10 cities/towns for a dedicated sustainable development programme, and proposed to bring in reforms in the state municipal cadres.</p>. <p>The council of ministers approved the 'Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024'.</p><p>The proposed bill seeks to "prohibit and eliminate practices of magical healing in the name of treatment of some congenital diseases such as deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformity and autism".</p><p>"It will prohibit such healing sessions completely and provide strong punitive action against 'healers' extorting the poor and downtrodden people in the name of treatment," the CM wrote on X.</p><p>For sustainable urban development, concept of ten cities development (Doh Shaher-Ek Rupayan) will be introduced.</p><p>The implementation of the concept will be monitored and reviewed by a state-level steering committee.</p><p>Key components under it include solid waste management, clean and potable water supply, traffic management, urban planning and manpower rationalisation and capacity building.</p><p>The cabinet approved an amendment of the Assam Municipal Act 1956, through which roles and responsibilities of three state municipal cadres will be defined.</p><p>It also gave its nod to the 'Assam Village Defence Organisation (Amendment) Bill, 2024', for improving the VDOs.</p><p>For administrative efficiency, an additional 352 posts will be created in the Assam Secretariat Service and Assam Secretariat Subordinate Services.</p><p>The cabinet further approved a Wildlife Safari and Rescue Centre at Namdang Reserved Forest under the Dibrugarh Forest Division.</p><p>It will be established at an estimated cost of Rs 259 crore and will showcase the biodiversity of the Northeast region and become a major tourist attraction.</p>
<p>Guwahati: The Assam government on Saturday gave its nod to a bill to prohibit and eliminate practices of "magical healing" in the name of treatment, proposing strong punitive action against the "healers".</p><p>The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.</p><p>Sharing the decisions taken at the meeting on X, Sarma said the cabinet also selected 10 cities/towns for a dedicated sustainable development programme, and proposed to bring in reforms in the state municipal cadres.</p>. <p>The council of ministers approved the 'Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024'.</p><p>The proposed bill seeks to "prohibit and eliminate practices of magical healing in the name of treatment of some congenital diseases such as deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformity and autism".</p><p>"It will prohibit such healing sessions completely and provide strong punitive action against 'healers' extorting the poor and downtrodden people in the name of treatment," the CM wrote on X.</p><p>For sustainable urban development, concept of ten cities development (Doh Shaher-Ek Rupayan) will be introduced.</p><p>The implementation of the concept will be monitored and reviewed by a state-level steering committee.</p><p>Key components under it include solid waste management, clean and potable water supply, traffic management, urban planning and manpower rationalisation and capacity building.</p><p>The cabinet approved an amendment of the Assam Municipal Act 1956, through which roles and responsibilities of three state municipal cadres will be defined.</p><p>It also gave its nod to the 'Assam Village Defence Organisation (Amendment) Bill, 2024', for improving the VDOs.</p><p>For administrative efficiency, an additional 352 posts will be created in the Assam Secretariat Service and Assam Secretariat Subordinate Services.</p><p>The cabinet further approved a Wildlife Safari and Rescue Centre at Namdang Reserved Forest under the Dibrugarh Forest Division.</p><p>It will be established at an estimated cost of Rs 259 crore and will showcase the biodiversity of the Northeast region and become a major tourist attraction.</p>