The Assam cabinet on Monday approved a proposal to purchase Bhupen Hazarika’s house in Calcutta from its current owner for Rs 1.7 crore.

The three-storey house located on 77B, Golf Club Road in Tollygunge is now owned by Sushil Kumar Dangi, a chartered accountant. The state government intends to convert it into a cultural centre and archive in memory of the music maestro. A sum of Rs 25 lakh was also approved by the cabinet to repair/preserve the house. The state cultural affairs department was entrusted with the task of developing and maintaining the house.

Hazarika moved into the house as a tenant in 1956. He bought it in the eighties and stayed there till he shifted base to Mumbai.

The cabinet also gave its nod to purchase Hazarika’s another house at Kuthori in Nagaon and asked the cultural affairs department to submit a proposal. This house will be developed as a state heritage monument.

The cabinet approved Rs 943 crore for the Lachit Chilarai Setu Nirman scheme for conversion of timber bridges into RCC bridges and Rs 200 crore to 76 town committees for road construction.

Another proposal to convert the State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (Sita) into a society was also approved by the cabinet.

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government will bring the muster roll and casual employees of the state under the pay band, which will considerably increase their monthly remuneration.

“Till now, they used to get a monthly fixed pay between Rs 3,000 and Rs 6,000, which will now increase to around Rs 18,000 per month with three per cent increment every year. It will come into effect from November 1,” he said. The state exchequer will have to bear an additional annual expenditure of around Rs 177 crore for this.

Sarma said around 12,860 muster roll and casual workers will benefit from it and their services will not be terminated till they attain the age of superannuation.