The Assam Cabinet, led by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, approved key reforms on industrial expansion, land rights, teacher welfare, and community empowerment, including enhanced petrochemical projects, land pattas under Mission Basundhara 2.0, and long-pending Tiwari Commission report tabling.
In a decisive move toward inclusive development and administrative reform, the Assam Cabinet on Thursday approved a series of landmark decisions encompassing industrial growth, land rights for indigenous people, teacher welfare, and the empowerment of ethnic communities.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, announced that the government has sanctioned key projects aimed at transforming the state’s economic and social landscape. Among the highlights is the Cabinet’s approval to enhance the project cost of the 500 TPD Methanol and 200 TPD Formalin plant of Assam Petrochemicals Ltd to ₹2,267.22 crore.
The Chief Minister stated that this upgraded investment will significantly boost Assam’s industrial base and strengthen its position as a petrochemical hub in the Northeast. “The expansion will generate direct and indirect employment opportunities while promoting self-reliance in chemical production,” Sarma said, adding that the project is in line with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Assam.
Land Rights for Indigenous Families
In one of the most impactful social welfare measures, the Cabinet approved 224 proposals under Mission Basundhara 2.0 to allot land pattas to indigenous and landless families. This initiative aims to address long-pending land disputes and ensure equitable access to land ownership.
Officials said the step would help secure the rights of thousands of native families who have been deprived of legal land titles for generations. “The initiative reflects the government’s firm commitment to justice and inclusivity for indigenous people,” a senior revenue official noted.
Mission Basundhara, first launched in 2021, has emerged as a flagship land reform programme. Under its second phase, the government aims to provide transparent, technology-driven solutions for land records, mutations, and settlement disputes—enhancing both governance and trust among citizens.
Teacher Welfare and Education Reforms
Addressing the education sector, the Cabinet cleared the amendment of The Assam Elementary and Secondary Schools Teachers’ (Regulation of Posting and Transfer) (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The revised bill will be introduced in the upcoming Assam Legislative Assembly session.
The amendment provides a structured and transparent framework for teacher transfers and regularisation. Once enforced, it will enable around 12,000 contractual teachers currently serving under the Sarba Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) to apply for regularisation of their jobs.
Education officials said the move is expected to bring greater job security, stability, and administrative efficiency in the school education system. It is also seen as a major morale booster for teachers who have long demanded parity in service conditions.
Empowerment of Ethnic Communities
Reaffirming its focus on indigenous empowerment, the Cabinet also approved the Matak Autonomous Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 and the Moran Autonomous Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Both ordinances are slated to be presented in the upcoming Assembly session.
These amendments aim to enhance the administrative and developmental autonomy of the Moran and Matak communities—two of Assam’s oldest and most culturally significant ethnic groups. The decision underscores the government’s long-term vision to empower marginalized communities through political representation and resource control.
Tabling of the Tiwari Commission Report
In a historic and long-awaited development, the Assam Cabinet also approved the decision to table the Tiwari Commission Report on the 1983 Nellie Massacre during the next Assembly session. The report, which has remained unpublished for over four decades, is expected to shed crucial light on one of the darkest chapters in Assam’s history.
Political analysts believe that the tabling of this report represents a significant step toward historical transparency and reconciliation. It may also pave the way for a broader conversation on communal harmony and justice.
A Push Toward Inclusive Growth
The combination of industrial investment, social justice measures, and administrative reforms reflects the government’s holistic approach to development. The Chief Minister emphasized that these decisions collectively represent “Assam’s roadmap for balanced growth—industrial strength coupled with social equity.”
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By focusing on employment generation, indigenous rights, and institutional accountability, the Cabinet’s decisions mark a turning point in Assam’s policy landscape. Observers note that the state’s ongoing reforms could serve as a model for inclusive governance across the Northeast.
