The Assam government on Thursday announced a 4% dearness allowance (DA) for government employees and specified incentives to residents to set up solar panels in their homes. “The employees will get their DA in their April salary and will aid in their Bohag Bihu (Assamese New Year) celebrations. The new DA will be effective from January 1 this year and the government will pay it in three installments in May, June and July,” said Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati.
With the hike, Assam government employees will now get 50% DA in comparison to their basic salary.The government stated that apart from incentives given by the Centre under Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar scheme, Assam will give additional subsidy of ₹15,000 for setting up solar panels of 1 KW, ₹30,000 for 2 KW and ₹45,000 to set up 3 KW.“With these incentives, people will have to pay just ₹5,000 additional amount to set up 1KW, ₹10,000 for 2KW and ₹27,000 for 3KW. Those who produce surplus electricity from the solar panels installed in their homes will be able to sale it to the government,” the CM informed.
He said that if government employees who apply for the scheme take loans to set up panels, the government will pay 1% of the interest. Sarma announced that all fourth-grade jobs in government schools will from now be filled by residents of the same or nearby villages where the establishment is located. Selection of the employees will be based on merit and other criteria to be decided later.