Assam Cabinet: Declare five districts hit by drought-like situation

Setting up of  National University for Disability Studies

Upgrade of AMCH costing Rs. 357 crore

 Scheme for tea workers worth Rs. 342 crore

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: A cabinet meeting today held a discussion of the drought-like situation prevailing in the state and instructed the Revenue & Disaster Management (R&DM) department to declare drought-like conditions in the districts affected. Until now, 40% less than normal rainfall has been recorded in the Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, and Baksa districts.

Several decisions were taken during the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma today. Chief among them are financial sanctions for tea workers, infrastructure upgrades at Assam Medical College and Hospital, easing the process of hydrocarbon exploration, etc.

The State Cabinet has approved the project "Construction of Teachers Quarters and Students Hostels of Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam" of a total built-up area of 85,509 sq metres, at a cost of Rs. 357.28 crore. This project aims to redevelop and provide additional facilities in the AMCH campus to facilitate the staff and students of the institute.

The State Cabinet has approved the allotment of government land under the Mission Basundhara 3.0 service-'Digitalized allotment/settlement of land to non-individual juridical entities.'

The State Cabinet has approved the settlement of land and exemption of premium in favour of Dinesh Buragohain and 11 others under Kamolabaria mouza of North Lakhimpur Revenue Circle. Each has been approved the settlement of land measuring 1 Katha 5 Lechas with the waiving of the government's settlement premium.

The State Cabinet has approved the setting up of the National University for Disability Studies. The cabinet has approved the waiver of the transfer premium of government Khas land measuring 150 Bighas in Village Deochar, under Chhaygaon Revenue Circle, in favour of the central Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for the purpose. The cabinet has also approved a waiver of premium of Rs. 8.63 crore to facilitate the timely implementation of this prestigious institution, which will also reflect the Government of Assam's commitment to inclusive development and support for national welfare initiatives.

The State Cabinet has approved notifying the exemption of hydrocarbon exploration and production activities from the purview of "The Assam Regulation of Reclassification and Reclassification cum Transfer of Lands Act, 2015." Any company intending to acquire land for hydrocarbon exploration will be able to negotiate directly with the landowners, without the state government intervening in the process.

The State Cabinet has approved an amount of Rs. 342 crore for implementation of the Mukhya Mantri Eti Koli Duti Paat (Assam Tea Garden Workers' Financial Assistance Scheme-2025) flagship scheme in Budget 2025-26. The amount of Rs. 342 crore will be disbursed in a single installment of Rs. 5,000 per eligible beneficiary for around 7 lakh workers (both temporary and permanent) and employees (excluding tea garden management).

The State Cabinet has also approved the inclusion of willing employees and dependents of Assam Power Distribution Corporation Ltd., Assam Electricity Grid Corporation Ltd., Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd., and Adarsh Vidyalaya under Mukhya Mantri Lok Sevak Arogya Yojana (MMLSAY) in Ayushman Asom-Mukhya Mantri Lok Sevak Arogya Yojana (AA-MMLSAY) on a voluntary basis.

The State Cabinet has decided to provide land measuring 3.5 acres near Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on a long-term lease to Global Health Ltd. (Medanta) with the aim of incentivising the creation of advanced healthcare infrastructure in Assam, committed under Advantage Assam 2.0. Global Health Ltd. intends to set up a five-star hotel under its brand name 'Lemon Tree,' a 500-bed Medanta hospital, and a 100-bed women & child care hospital.

 Also Read: Assam Leads: India’s Tea Production Up by 37.44 Million kg in May 2025

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