Assam govt moots plan to make swimming proficiency mandatory for officers

Guwahati, Oct 3: The State government proposes to make swimming proficiency mandatory for Class I officers and employees. This was discussed at the 51st State Executive Meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota.

The policy is envisaged to have a potential impact in mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction in Assam, a flood prone State which is affected by the calamity every year.

“A large number of government officials and staff travel by boats to their work places and also during field visits. They may be encouraged to learn swimming by giving incentive for attaining proficiency in the skill,” according to the proposal.

A committee is also examining if regular increments and promotion can be linked with the completion of the training and submission of proficiency certificates. The plan is to start with Class I officers initially.

According to the proposal, there will be a reimbursement of training cost up to Rs. 10,000 for attaining the life skill. State government officials working in non-flood prone areas will also be included in the policy, and the proposal is planned as a universal policy with regular updation of certification.

The Chief Minister is learnt to have accorded his approval to the proposal.

Official sources said Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has started Phase I swimming proficiency and life skill development training for government officials in Kamrup Metro district.

ASDMA has so far trained 53 officials of Kamrup Metro, while others are likely to be trained within the next two months.

With more than 40 percent of its land surface susceptible to flood damage, the total flood-prone area in the Brahmaputra valley is about 3.2 Mha.

As per the Flood Hazard Atlas of Assam prepared by Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre using satellite data, about 28.75 per cent (22.54 lakh hectares) of land in Assam was affected by flood during 1998- 2015. This year the natural calamity had affected 153 revenue circles in 35 districts, claiming 108 lives, including 10 in landslides.

-By Rituraj Borthakur