Assam Cabinet Hikes ASHA Pay, Clears Land, Honours Sonal Mansingh

In a Cabinet meeting held today at Lok Sewa Bhawan under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, several key decisions were taken. These were later briefed to the media by Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ashok Singhal and Minister of Cultural Affairs Bimal Borah.

Health & Family Welfare Department:

As per the Cabinet’s decision, the monthly fixed honorarium for ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers and ASHA supervisors will be increased, effective from October 1, 2025.

The honorarium for ASHA workers will be raised from the existing ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 per month. Similarly, the monthly honorarium for ASHA supervisors will be increased from ₹9,000 to ₹10,200.

This decision reflects the government’s continued commitment to strengthening the public healthcare system and recognising the valuable contributions of frontline health workers across the state.

Revenue and Disaster Management Department:

The Cabinet has approved a significant proposal under Mission Basundhara 3.0 for the allotment of land to various non-individual juridical entities. A total of 1,011 institutions, including educational, religious, social, and cultural organisations, across four districts (Sonitpur, Golaghat, Majuli, and Kamrup) will receive land allotments. Specifically, 464 institutions in Sonitpur, 306 in Golaghat, 205 in Majuli, and 36 in Kamrup will benefit from this initiative.

In a related move, the Cabinet also approved the allotment of government land for 146 infrastructure-related projects under Mission Basundhara 3.0. These include government-run educational institutions, offices, health centres, and Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). Of these, 108 are in Sonitpur district and 38 in Golaghat district.

These decisions are aimed at supporting institutional development and enhancing public infrastructure across the state.

Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change:

In a key decision, the Cabinet approved the renaming of the Pollution Control Board, Assam. It will now officially be known as the Assam Pollution Control Board (অসম প্ৰদূষণ নিয়ন্ত্রণ বোৰ্ড).

The renaming aims to bring uniformity and clarity to the board’s identity, aligning it with the standard nomenclature followed by other states across India. This is part of ongoing reforms to strengthen environmental governance and institutional branding in Assam.

Cultural Affairs Department:

The Cabinet has announced that the Srimanta Sankardeva Award for the year 2023 will be presented to eminent classical dancer Sonal Mansingh. The award ceremony is scheduled for June 12 at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.

The prestigious award, which carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh along with a citation, will be conferred by Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. The award recognises outstanding contributions to Indian art and culture, and Sonal Mansingh’s selection celebrates her lifelong dedication to classical dance and cultural heritage.

Also Read: Assam Cabinet Nod to Key FPO, Research, and BTR Schemes