The Assam Cabinet approved major land allotments under Mission Basundhara 3.0 and amended governance rules for panchayats and autonomous councils to boost inclusive development. Meanwhile, ONGC successfully capped a gas blowout in Sivasagar, marking a key achievement in industrial safety and crisis management.
In a decisive push toward infrastructure and inclusive community development, the Assam State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, approved a series of key decisions on Friday under Mission Basundhara 3.0. These decisions include significant land allotments across districts, amendments to governance rules for grassroots democratic institutions, and targeted legislative updates for indigenous communities.
The Cabinet’s latest decisions reflect a multifaceted approach aimed at decentralizing development, ensuring equitable representation, and strengthening administrative structures for socio-economic progress across Assam.
Massive Land Allotments for Infrastructure and Institutions
Chief Minister Sarma revealed that the Cabinet had cleared the allotment of government land for 942 infrastructure development projects across 11 districts. These include major districts like Kamrup, Barpeta, and Dhemaji. Barpeta district emerged as a leading beneficiary with 170 proposals, followed by Dhemaji (207) and Lakhimpur (175).
“This move is part of our broader strategy to speed up public infrastructure projects that directly benefit the people,” CM Sarma stated.
In a parallel effort to support non-government organizations, the Cabinet also approved land allotments under Mission Basundhara 3.0 to 1,977 non-government educational, religious, and socio-cultural institutions across 12 districts. Barpeta once again led with 296 allotments, followed by Biswanath (261) and Tinsukia (252).
The land allocations are expected to facilitate long-term sustainability for these institutions, many of which play a vital role in community engagement, education, and cultural preservation.
Amendments to Panchayat Governance Rules
To ensure transparency and equity in local governance, the Assam Cabinet amended the Assam Panchayat (Constitution) Rules, 1995. Under the revised rules, reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and women in the positions of Zilla Parishad President and Vice-President will now be allocated through a public lottery system on a rotational basis.
The rotation mechanism ensures that no district already reserved in previous cycles is repeated, thereby broadening the scope of representation across Assam’s diverse regions. The change is aimed at deepening democratic participation and promoting inclusive governance in local self-government institutions.
Legislative Changes for Autonomous Councils
In a major step to strengthen the governance of indigenous communities, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Moran Autonomous Council Act, 2020, and the Matak Autonomous Council Act, 2020. These amendments aim to streamline administrative functions and accelerate socio-economic progress for the Moran and Matak communities, who form a crucial part of Assam’s indigenous population.
CM Sarma emphasized that these reforms underscore the state government’s commitment to decentralized governance and inclusive development, particularly in areas with distinct ethnic and cultural identities.
ONGC Successfully Caps Gas Blowout in Sivasagar
In a separate but notable development, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Friday confirmed the successful capping of a gas blowout at its Well RDS-147A in Sivasagar district. The blowout, which occurred during service operations on June 12, resulted in an uncontrolled release of natural gas.
The operation to contain the blowout was hailed as a technical milestone, executed with “high precision and coordination,” according to ONGC. The effort involved a joint team comprising ONGC’s Crisis Management Team, experts from international well control firm CUDD Pressure Control, and local engineers.
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At dawn on Friday, the team carefully removed the damaged Blowout Preventer (BOP) from the wellhead — a critical and delicate phase of the operation. ONGC confirmed that the team maintained stability throughout the process, avoiding any potential hazards such as imbalance or structural toppling.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri lauded the team’s swift and effective response in a social media post, praising ONGC and its partners for their commitment and expertise in resolving the crisis safely.
