GUWAHATI: Assam cabinet started the New Year on Saturday with some key decisions involving the chief minister, which include downsizing the chief minister’s motorcade by 50% and discontinuation of providing government house and security cover to all prospective ex-CMs from now onwards.
While addressing the media, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the cabinet has also adopted a policy to reduce the mammoth number of 4,200 police personnel deployed as personal security officers (PSO), costing the exchequer about Rs 400 crore every month.
More than half of them are deployed to guard political leaders.
“Except those in constitutional posts, like ministers, high court judges and chief secretary and also deputy commissioners who have a threat to their lives because of holding offices, we have taken a completely new stance in regard to deployment of PSO to others,” Sarma said.
