Assam Cabinet Approves Rs 796.88-Crore SWIFT Project, Several Key Decisions
By Dalim Phukan
Guwahati/Assam, Sep 24: The Assam Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma at Lok Sewa Bhawan on Thursday, approved a series of important proposals concerning wetlands, agriculture, industry, welfare and infrastructure.
A major decision was the approval of the Assam Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) Project at an estimated cost of Rs 796.88 crore. Of the total amount, Rs 637.504 crore will be financed through an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan, while the Assam government will contribute Rs 159.376 crore. The project will include restoration and rehabilitation of at least 102 derelict community beels.
The Cabinet also approved a rent-based or pro bono model for construction of a state-of-the-art laboratory and ancillary infrastructure of the Spices Board under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry at Ulubari in Guwahati. The Agriculture Department, in coordination with PWD (B), will undertake construction according to the design and specifications provided by the Spices Board.
Another decision relates to financial assistance under the Central Sector Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF). Under the approved guidelines, the state government will bear the entire mandatory 10 per cent promoter’s contribution for collective entities such as FPOs, FPCs, PACS and cooperatives. For individual beneficiaries, including farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, startups, SHGs and JLGs, the government will bear five per cent while the beneficiary will contribute the remaining five per cent.
For October 2026, NFSA beneficiaries will receive subsidised sugar at Rs 30 per kilogram, while both masur dal and sugar will be available at Rs 100, according to the Cabinet decision. The Cabinet also approved granting the minimum of the pay scale to an additional 166 muster roll, casual and fixed-pay workers, with effect from September 1, 2026.
The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to an executive order facilitating Aadhaar enrolment of eligible women members of Self-Help Groups up to March 31. It also approved a proposed investment of Rs 11,000 crore by JK Lakshmi Cement Limited for establishing a clinker manufacturing unit and four associated cement grinding units in Assam. The project is expected to generate around 2,000 direct jobs.
The Cabinet further approved a State Capital Investment Subsidy for eligible manufacturing units that qualify under the substantive provisions of the Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme (UNNATI), 2024, but could not obtain registration within the extended deadline of September 30, 2026.
In another decision, the Cabinet approved payment of a 20 per cent bonus to eligible workers and employees of the Assam Tea Corporation Limited. It also approved allotment of 256 bighas of government land at Duhalia Hill Part-IV in Sribhumi district for establishment of a College of Agriculture at Patharkandi under Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.
The Cabinet declared October 17, 2026 as an additional Durga Puja holiday. It also decided to provide Orunodoi beneficiaries Rs 1,500 for October, instead of the regular Rs 1,250, as a Durga Puja gift.
The elections to the Mising Autonomous Council and Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council will be held in November, the Cabinet decided.
The Cabinet also approved the allotment of 504 bighas of land at Niz-Gondhmow under Hajo Revenue Circle for setting up an industrial estate under the Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprise Department. The land is to be dereserved from VGR status, with an equivalent 504 bighas of government land at No. 2 Dokania being reserved as VGR in lieu of the dereserved land.
