Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma rebukes Nagaon district collector for halting traffic on his arrival

Asking the deputy commissioner not to repeat the same, Sarma asked to allow the movement of traffic.

He said “DC sahab yeh kya natak hai? Gari kyun rukwaya hai. Koi raja maharaja aa raha hai kya? Aisa mat karo again. Logo ko kasht ho raha hai. Gari jane do (What is this drama DC? Why the vehicles have been stopped? Is a king coming here? This should not happen again. People are suffering so let the vehicles go).”

Assam cabinet meeting recently resolved that former chief ministers will no longer entail a house and existing security post demitting the office. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has decided to bring down his convoy from an existing fleet of 22 vehicles to seven to eight while moving in Guwahati.

The cabinet also resolved that a personal security officer (PSO) will be deployed based on core security review and constitutional post. Sarma while talking to media persons on Saturday said, “We have taken a symbolic decision in the cabinet meeting. During the chief minister of Tarun Gogoi a decision was taken that former chief ministers will get a house and security post demitting the office. However prospectively we have decided to discontinue this and security will be there depending upon the threat perception and not because of the office.”

The cabinet has decided PSO will be provided on the basis of core security review and constitutional post. Sarma said, “For providing this security around four battalions, 4440 people are deployed as PSO. Annually Assam spends Rs 400 Crore. This cannot continue.”

He added, politicians account for 50 percent of the deployment 2526, while civil persons 854 people are deployed. “Judicial services account for 546 people besides businessmen and youth leaders have 167 personnel. Around 40 personnel are with the tea estate manager and 52 are with former militants. There will be a complete overhaul of this set up and categorisation as “z” depending on threat perception.”

The chief minister said, “While Superintendent of Police will be able to provide PSO for 10 days, DGP and ADGP can do it for 30 days. Beyond that it will require approval of the chief minister. The idea is to bring the size down to 2600 and PSO must not be seen as a status symbol.”