Guwahati, Feb 2 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced a significant welfare measure for state government employees, allowing them to avail salary in advance on a need-based basis to meet urgent financial requirements.
The announcement was made at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur during the launch of the Swagat Satirtha Portal 2.0, an online platform aimed at streamlining employee transfer processes across departments.
Under the new provision, state government employees will be permitted to draw advance salary, which can be repaid either in a lump sum or through instalments within a maximum period of one year. Employees opting for the facility will be required to pay a nominal rate of interest to the concerned bank.
Explaining the mechanism, the Chief Minister said employees who repay the advance immediately after receiving their regular monthly salary would incur a lower interest burden, while those choosing instalment-based repayment would be charged a slightly higher interest rate.
The initiative, he added, is intended to provide timely financial assistance during emergencies and reduce employees’ reliance on private moneylenders or high-interest loans.
Referring to the Swagat Satirtha transfer portal, Sarma reiterated his earlier assurance that the portal would be opened twice in a financial year to facilitate transparent and employee-friendly transfers. He said another round of transfers would be completed before March 31.
Clarifying eligibility criteria, the Chief Minister stated that around 9,000 employees who had already benefited from the earlier phase of the portal would not be allowed to apply again. However, employees who could not avail the facility earlier would now be able to seek transfers to their preferred locations.
Sarma noted that the previous edition of the portal was operational from January 1, 2025, to June 7, 2025, and added that the government is targeting completion of the current transfer process by March 7 this year.
He further said the Election Commission would be duly informed, as the transfer exercise is administrative in nature and not politically motivated. Government employees have been urged to submit their applications within 15 days to ensure timely execution.
The Chief Minister said that both initiatives reflect the state government’s continued commitment to employee welfare, transparency and improved administrative efficiency.
–IANS
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