Guwahati, Aug 17: The Assam government is set to create a dedicated Department of Youth Welfare and Empowerment, bringing under one umbrella a range of youth-focused programmes and services that are currently spread across multiple departments.<\/p>\n
Announcing the decision at a press conference at Lok Sewa Bhawan on Monday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the new department would focus exclusively on the welfare, development and empowerment of the state's youth population.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no department in the Assam government exclusively for the welfare of youth. We have taken a decision to create a new Department of Youth Welfare and Empowerment,\u201d Sarma said.<\/p>\n
According to the Chief Minister, the proposed department will integrate services and schemes currently handled by different agencies, including the National Service Scheme (NSS), National Cadet Corps (NCC), Employment Exchanges and other youth welfare initiatives implemented by the Education Department and various government departments.<\/p>\n
The government is targeting September 17 for the formal launch of the department, with groundwork for its establishment already underway.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are hoping to begin this on September 17. The construction, directorate and other activities are already taking place,\u201d Sarma said.<\/p>\n
The move is aimed at streamlining youth-oriented programmes, improving coordination among departments and creating a single institutional framework to address issues relating to employment, skill development, leadership and youth engagement.<\/p>\n
The Chief Minister also announced Project Sadbhawana, an administrative reform initiative aimed at disposing of long-pending government files and improving transparency in governance.<\/p>\n
The programme will run from October 2 to January 31 and leverage the state's recently introduced e-file system to track pending cases and fix accountability.<\/p>\n
Sarma said more than three lakh files remain pending across government departments, directorates and Deputy Commissioners' offices.<\/p>\n
Highlighting the advantages of the digital filing system, Sarma said the government had initiated efforts to tackle pending files in 2021 but faced limitations due to the manual nature of record management.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarlier, files were maintained manually and there were limitations. With the e-file system, we can identify and examine each file carefully. There will be more precision, accountability and transparency,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere will also be a portal where people will be able to make requests regarding their pending year-long cases or issues,\u201d Sarma said.<\/p>\n
The Chief Minister noted that certain categories of cases, including those involving land records, State Level Departmental Appraisal Committee (SDLAC) matters and amendments to existing rules, would require preliminary policy interventions before disposal.<\/p>\n
Under the initiative, citizens will be able to submit requests relating to long-pending cases through a dedicated portal.<\/p>\n