Assam’s Finance Minister, Ajanta Neog, presented the state’s budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on March 10, highlighting several key initiatives and welfare measures aimed at improving the socio-economic landscape of the state. Here are the major announcements from the budget:
- Overall budget size
- The state budget for 2025–26 stands at Rs 2.63 lakh crore, marking a significant increase in budgetary expenditure.
- The capital expenditure has risen to Rs 24,964 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25.
- Professional tax exemption
- A professional tax exemption has been proposed for individuals earning up to ₹15,000 per month.
- This exemption is expected to benefit over 1.43 lakh taxpayers in the state.
- Financial aid for tea garden workers
- A one-time financial aid of Rs 5,000 has been announced for tea workers in Assam.
- The assistance will benefit approximately 6.8 lakh tea workers, with a total allocation of Rs 342 crore.
- Extension of tax holiday for green tea leaves
- To support the tea industry, the government will extend the tax holiday for green tea leaves for an additional two years.
- Flagship schemes and women empowerment
- The Orunodoi scheme, which supports women in the state, has been allocated Rs 5,000 crore to cover over 37 lakh women.
- Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan, aimed at encouraging women entrepreneurs, has been allocated Rs 3,038 crore and will start on April 1, 2025, in Behali.
- The Mukhiya Mantri Nijut Moina scheme for promoting girls’ higher education and combating child marriage has been allocated Rs 391 crore.
- Pension reform: OPS benefits under NPS
- The government will extend benefits of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) for eligible employees, which will impact around 2.8 lakh government employees.
- Ration card holder relief
- Starting October, every ration card holder in Assam will receive 1 kg of lentils, 1 kg of sugar, and 1 kg of salt as part of state assistance.
- Rs 370 crore has been allocated for commissions to fair price shops for this initiative.
- Insurance for contractual and PSU employees
- All contractual employees and public sector employees who receive salaries through commercial banks will now be covered under a zero-cost accident and death insurance scheme.
- Support for farmers
- Direct financial assistance for key crops has been proposed:
- Rs 250 per quintal for paddy
- Rs 250 per quintal for maize
- Rs 500 per quintal for mustard
- Encouraging education and literature
- A one-time financial assistance of Rs 25,000 will be given to promising young writers making contributions to creative science and education.
- Citizens are encouraged to gift books on birthdays and weddings to promote a reading culture.
- Government employees will receive Rs 1,000 to purchase books.
- Dibrugarh as second capital
- Rs 200 crore has been allocated for the construction of a new Assembly building and MLA hostel in Dibrugarh, officially marking it as the second capital of Assam.
- Historic move: Launch of ASSAMSAT
- Assam will launch its own satellite, ‘ASSAMSAT’, a significant step towards utilizing space technology for governance and development.
- The satellite will support areas such as agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure, border security, and policing.
- The project will be undertaken in collaboration with IN-SPACe and ISRO, and students from colleges and universities will be involved in experimental satellite development.
- Reduced electricity rates for Jeevan Dhara and domestic consumers
- As of May 1, 2025, Jeevan Dhara and domestic category consumers with a monthly consumption of up to 120 units will benefit from a reduced electricity rate of Rs 1 per unit.
These initiatives reflect the government’s focus on social welfare, economic growth, and technological advancement. With several provisions aimed at empowering women, farmers, tea garden workers, and government employees, the budget is designed to address the diverse needs of Assam’s citizens.
