The Assam cabinet on Friday decided to implement the Olympic Values Education Programme in 250 government and private schools in association with a trust founded by Abhinav Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist in shooting, during 2024-27.

The three values of Olympism are excellence, friendship and respect.

The cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Olympic Committee and Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust, which will be implemented for Rs six crore, Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Barua said at the media briefing after the meeting.

The programme will address the challenges of a sedentary lifestyle, lack of concentration and adolescents dropping out of school, he said.

The cabinet also decided to grant tax exemption on agricultural income for three years from April 1, 2023, to celebrate 200 years of Assam’s tea industry.

The Council of Ministers also decided to promulgate the Assam Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 as per the recommendations of the GST Council.

It was decided at the meeting that the state bench of the GST Appellate Tribunal will be set up with its headquarters at Guwahati.

The cabinet also approved the framework of the Digital Infrastructure for DBT Schemes (DIDS), and subsequent Rollout and adoption of the platform to streamline disbursal of welfare benefits to citizens, the minister said.

The cabinet decided to amend the Assam ESI Doctors’ Service Rules, 2000 for ensuring smooth administration of the Employees’ State Insurance Doctors Services in the state.

It decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend the Assam Right to Public Services (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 to improve delivery of notified services and strengthen appeal mechanism, Baruah added.