Latest news with #AssamCabinet
News18
28-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Assam To Give Arms Licence To Indigenous People In Minority-Dominated Areas: CM Sarma
Last Updated: The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting held earlier in the day, where the proposal received formal approval Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that the state government will begin issuing arms licences to indigenous people living in minority-dominated and vulnerable areas for their security. The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting held earlier in the day, where the proposal received formal approval. Speaking at a press briefing, Sarma said, 'Today, the state cabinet has decided to give arms licence to original inhabitants and indigenous Indian citizens in vulnerable areas of the state. The state cabinet has approved a new scheme." The Chief Minister also shared the development on social media platform X, stating that the move was aimed at protecting the interests of Assam's 'Jati, Mati, Bheti (community, land, and roots)". In his post, he wrote: 'The #AssamCabinet has today taken a very important decision to protect the interests of our Jati, Mati, Bheti. Arms Licenses will be granted to Original Inhabitants and indigenous Indian people living in vulnerable areas to tackle unlawful threats from hostile quarters." According to the scheme, arms licences will be issued only to applicants who meet certain eligibility criteria, including having no criminal background. The initiative targets individuals in remote and sensitive regions of Assam who are reportedly facing ongoing security threats.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NFSA beneficiaries to get food grain at subsidised rates
1 2 3 Guwahati: The state cabinet on Friday approved several key initiatives, including providing food grain at subsidised rates to National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries from Oct and setting up a dairy plant by AMUL, which is part of an MoU signed during Advantage Assam 2.0. Masoor dal (Rs 69/kg), sugar (Rs 38/kg) and salt (Rs 10/kg) will be provided to NFSA beneficiaries from Oct 2025 in selected districts, while the benefits will be extended to all districts from Nov 2025. Each commodity will be given in separate packets to ensure customers have a choice to purchase individual items. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who chaired the cabinet meeting, shared the decisions on X. "In today's meeting of the #AssamCabinet, we resolved to allow AMUL to set up a dairy processing plant with a capacity of 1 lakh litres/day," he said. The cabinet approved at least 20 bighas of land for setting up a state-of-the-art product dairy farm at the Institute of Farm Management Campus, Rani. The farm will have a capacity of 1 lakh litres per day, at an approximate cost of Rs 75 crore. The cost may also rise to Rs 150 crore. The plant will benefit around 20,000 dairy farmers and is part of an MoU signed during Advantage Assam 2.0. To boost private investment in the state and create more job opportunities, two proposals have been approved under the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam (IIPA). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Flexible Phone Plans for Small Biz Undo Approximately, 1000 people will be given job opportunities under this initiative. Meanwhile, for part-time ICT instructors, the cabinet approved the "enhancement of monthly honorarium" for 1,313 such instructors under the "Dr Banikanta Kakati Computer Literacy Programme" to Rs 20,000 from Oct this year. The service guarantee has been extended until the age of 60 years. The ICT employees will also be eligible for the Mukhya Mantri Lok Seva Aarogya Yojana, along with Apun Ghar and Apun Bahan schemes.
Mint
15-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Meet Ankita, Assam's new AI anchor that delivered Cabinet highlights including airport renaming, tea garden worker grant
The future of news broadcasting is rapidly evolving, and Assam has just taken a bold step into it. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled 'Ankita', an AI-powered virtual news anchor, who delivered a detailed report on the latest Cabinet meeting — a first for the state and a striking example of how artificial intelligence is reshaping India's media landscape. The announcement came via a video shared by the Chief Minister on social media platform X, where Ankita, with a lifelike digital persona and fluent Assamese voice, presented updates from the Cabinet proceedings. The AI anchor reported on key developments such as the decision to rename Dibrugarh Airport after cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika, as well as the time grant approval for tea garden workers — all delivered with clarity and poise that mirrored human news presenters. 'Meet Ankita, our AI anchor who brings to you the latest updates on the recent #AssamCabinet meeting. From approving the change of Dibrugarh Airport's name after Bhupen Hazarika to a time grant for tea garden workers, we took a host of decisions for the public,' Sarma wrote while posting the clip. Ankita's debut, however, has triggered a mixed wave of reactions online. Supporters of the move hailed it as a testament to Assam's growing embrace of digital transformation. One user remarked, 'This will be an innovation in developed Assam, not only in the roads and streets but also in the field of science and AI.' However, others expressed concern over the implications of such technology for human employment. 'Should have hired a real person — at least this would have created a job opportunity :)' another user commented, highlighting the ongoing debate around automation and unemployment. With Assam's launch of Ankita, the use of AI in Indian newsrooms continues to gain traction. As the technology becomes more accessible, there is a high possibility of more states and organisations following suit. However, the development is also prompting wider discussions on its potential impact on employment within the media sector. For now, Assam's adoption of an AI news presenter signals a growing push toward tech-driven governance and communication.
NDTV
14-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Meet Ankita": Himanta Biswa Sarma Shares Video Of AI Anchor Reporting On Assam Cabinet Meeting
The AI era is here, and with it, AI news anchors are becoming a reality, transforming the way we consume news. India's AI news anchor landscape is also rapidly expanding, with numerous channels and organisations adopting digital presenters to deliver news, marking a significant shift in the country's media industry. On Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma showcased Ankita, an AI-powered virtual anchor. The video highlighted Ankita delivering a detailed report on the latest updates from a recent Assam Cabinet meeting. Designed with remarkably human-like features, including a natural appearance and a fluent Assamese-speaking voice, Ankita presented the key decisions and discussions from the meeting with clarity and precision. "Meet Ankita, our AI anchor who brings to you the latest updates on the recent #AssamCabinet meeting. From approving the change of Dibrugarh Airport's name after Bhupen Hazarika to a time grant for tea garden workers, we took a host of decisions for the public," Mr Sarma wrote while sharing the video. Watch the video here: Meet Ankita, our AI anchor who brings to you the latest updates on the recent #AssamCabinet meeting. From approving change of Dibrugarh Airport's name after Bhupen Hazarika to one time grant for tea garden workers, we took a host of decisions for the public. Drop in your views! — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 14, 2025 The video has sparked mixed reactions. While some social media users expressed their excitement about AI's innovation and potential benefits, others were concerned about job displacement for human news anchors and journalists. One user wrote, "Loving how tech is being used to keep citizens informed. Go Ankita." Another said, "Should have hired a real person at least this would have create a job opportunity." A third noted, "Ankita the AI anchor is such a cool concept – making governance updates so much more accessible." AI Anchors And Newsreaders These AI-driven avatars, powered by advanced natural language processing and realistic text-to-speech technologies, deliver news with human-like fluency, tone, and expression. Pioneered in countries like China, where Xinhua's AI anchor "Xin Xiaowei" debuted in 2018, the trend is spreading globally. AI anchors offer 24/7 availability, multilingual capabilities, and cost efficiency, eliminating the need for salaries or breaks. They can be customised to suit diverse audiences, adapting accents or appearances instantly. While AI anchors are unlikely to fully replace humans soon, their integration is reshaping the industry, blending technology with journalism and challenging traditional notions of news delivery in an evolving digital era.
