Assam Assembly Budget Session 2021-22 Update: Key Highlights & Takeaways

Swanirbhar Naari

Direct procurement of handloom items from weavers through ARTFED & AGMC

Weavers’ skill training

4-5 benchmark quality products

Phase 1 to cover 1.23 lakh beneficiaries

Setting up sales counters across India

Leveraging e-commerce portals & apps

Envisaging a Flood-Free Assam

1,000 km of embankment cum roads along Brahmaputra and Barak rivers

Fund allocated: ₹1000 cr

Asom Mala

Cost: Rs 5,556 cr

Construction of 250 km of roads by ASRIP (with aid from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank)

Construction of 313 km of roads by ARNIP (with aid from Asian Development Bank)

Four major roadways to be completed by 2021-22:

• Kokrajhar to Rupsi Airport via Bashbari – 74 km

• Rowta to Misamari – 50 km

• Gohpur to Dholpur via Ghagrabasti – 28 km

• NH 52 (Dirak gate) Bijulibon Pengeree – 38 km

Orunodoi scheme

-One month every year to be observed as Orunodoi Month

-Orunodoi logo to be pasted outside beneficiaries’ homes

-Monthly assistance increased from ₹830 to ₹1000

-Additional number of beneficiaries: 6.36 lakh

-Total budget for 2021-22: ₹1800 cr

Providing employment for economic growth

1 lakh vacancies to be filled up

Number of departments to conduct recruitments: 48

Police battalions: 10

Assam Microfinance Incentive and Relief Scheme (AMFIRS) 2021

To benefit distressed borrowers of microfinance loans -

Category 1

₹ 25,000 incentive for regular repayment of loans and maintaining good credit discipline

Category 2

Govt to clear overdue amount if payment is overdue by 1-89 days

Incentive of ₹ 25,000 to be paid after restarting regular repayment

Category 3

Loans categorised as NPA to be disposed of with Rs 7500 cr State funds & ₹4,000-cr benefit to be transferred by lenders

Chief Minister COVID Relief Scheme

Financial assistance to families that have lost one or more members to COVID-19

₹ 1 lakh to next of kin of deceased

Fund allocated: ₹ 40 cr

Finance Minister Ajanta Neog presenting the first budget of the Assam government

Demo https://t.co/8toe2zPCyd

— Ajanta Neog (@AjantaNeog) July 16, 2021

Assam Chief Minister Tweets

The #AssamBudget2021 is being presented for the first time by a woman Finance Minister, Hon'ble Smt @AjantaNeog, in presence of Hon'ble CM Dr @himantabiswa in Assam Legislative Assembly.

— Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) July 16, 2021

Will the Assam Govt Declare Microfinance Loan Waiver? All eyes on the budget

Despite the Assam government making it clear that all the women who had taken loans from various micro-finance institutions will not get waivers, all keep their eyes now on the state budget that will be presented today. The maiden budget of the Himanta Biswa Sarma government will be presented in the assembly today by Finance Minister Ajanta Neog at 3 pm.

Earlier Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hinted that the women who have been regularly repaying the debt would receive incentives from the state government. As such, speculation is rife that the government may announce incentives of Rs. 25000 for these women through the budget. Besides, the government may also announce some relief to other micro-finance borrowers. The borrowers now keep hope that the state's first-ever Finance minister, Ajanta Neog would give them some relief.